Am I Sorta Crunchy, Maybe?

Namastè!

I hope you're experiencing copious amounts thereof.

Tonight's topic?

I'm kinda crunchy. Maybe. I don't subscribe to any set of rules for Baby Namastè. We just go with the flow.

Babies are born with a certain temperament, a specific set of needs, and a knack for letting us parents know when that temperament is bothered or those needs aren't being met. So when Baby Namastè was born I let him know we were counting on him to be patient as we figured out how to be the best parents for him.

He's always nursed like a champ, but he needs our closeness to sleep. He's always slept in our room, in his nest (his Dream Pod). As he's gotten a bit bigger, he's able to sleep practically anywhere--nest, crib, pack and play.

We've been learning Baby Namastè's language since he was born. He has a mild temperament. Always smiling, always content. He eats well and sleeps well. We couldn't have asked for an easier baby, save the occasional rough wonder week.

But then, perhaps he is not an easy baby, but we've taken the time to learn him. We've figured out the small cues--how he gums his fist when he begins to feel hungry, the way he gets silly right before he falls asleep, the little face he makes when his dad or I feed him. Those small cues have been the building blocks of his trust for us.

We have a two way trust.

That's what it boils down to, trust. I'm not sure which label I can wear as a parent. I'm not sure I need one! I am, however, sure that I trust myself to be what Baby Namastè needs. I trust Baby Namastè's cues, his communication, his reliance on us.

People say we will spoil him. People say he won't be independent. But at six months old, he is doing things and understanding concepts that are a month or two beyond what he should be doing. He's got two teeth. He sleeps 5 hours for his longest stretch, and has gotten himself into a pretty solid routine since he was about a month old. He is able to calm himself (although we neither participate nor endorse crying it out--no judgment but that's not our style) and has mastered his little primitive form of crawling. Through that mutual trust came SECURITY.

We just might be crunchy. We are fine with it. Trusting ourselves, our capability, and our son has made this journey so much easier. That little boy lights up when he sees us, because he knows his needs will be met. NOT because we have spoiled him, but because in our stumble and fumble way we have shown him it's fine to trust us.

A baby will not scream if he knows mama or daddy will come to his aid. He will not howl and yell indiscriminately because he knows they are there to soothe his fears, feed his hunger, or simply give him a cuddle to reassure him when he feels out of sorts. SECURITY.

There are many ways to parent. We like the warm, nurturing approach.

Crunchy? Cool.

Namastè!