Hope for Baby Bennett: Life with a Cranky Kid

Friday, December 30, 2011

Life with a Cranky Kid

So we may have mentioned once or twice, but Bodie has a tendency to be a bit of a crankster. He pretty much wears his 1/2 a heart on his sleeve for all to see. When he's happy, he's BEYOND happy - more fun than any kid I've ever been around. Just a total goofball. But when he's unhappy, oh.my.goodness. The whole world must stop and cater to him until his problem is taken care of. As one of this therapists put it a few weeks ago, when talking about Bodie's quiet cry due to his vocal cord issue, "what he lacks in volume, he makes up for in emotion." (I hear this is not uncommon in little boys, but Bodie does seem to take it to the extreme.) So, in honor of our little crankypants (and because Daddy is occasionally known as a bit of a crankypants himself (some have said he's an "old man" already - tee hee)), I made Dusk this desk calendar for Christmas this year. Enjoy a look back at Mr. Crankypants (you can click on any of the pictures to enlarge them)...

Oh, and if you're keeping count of our "Christmas sickies," you can add 2 more - my sister-in-law came down with the stomach flu and I started antibiotics yesterday for a sinus infection. Fun times!

2 comments:

KellieDecember 30, 2011 at 11:38 AM
Hilarious! I made sure a couple pages of Noah's baby book was full of Noah screaming his head off. It's all he did for 6 months. He's still super emotional (almost 8 years old)! This will be fun to show Bodie when he's older.......SEE - you WERE crankypants!
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The Smith'sDecember 31, 2011 at 10:50 AM
Best calendar EVER! I can so relate to Bodie's ups and downs. Luke is very similar. We say when he's "on" there is nothing like it and when he's "off", look out! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family!
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The Chosen Mothers by Erma Bombeck

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures, and a couple by habit. Did you ever wonder how mothers of children with life threatening illnesses are chosen?

Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth selecting His instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger. "Armstrong, Beth, son, patron saint Matthew. Forrest, Marjorie, daughter, patron saint Cecilia. Rutledge, Carrie, twins, patron saint Gerard."

Finally, He passes a name to an angel and says, "Give her a child with cancer." The angel is curious. "Why this one God? She's so happy." "Exactly" smiles God, "Could I give a child with cancer a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But, does she have patience?" asks the angel. "I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wears off, she will handle it." "I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has it's own world. She has to make it live in her world and that's not going to be easy."

"But, Lord, I don't think she believes in you." No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness." The angel gasps -"Selfishness? is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take anything her child does for granted. She will never consider a single step ordinary. I will permit her to see clearly the things I see...ignorance, cruelty, prejudice...and allow her to rise above them." She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing My work as surely as if she is here by My side." "And what about her patron Saint?" asks the angel. His pen poised in mid-air. God smiles, "A mirror will suffice."