Propped

When the boys were infants, I remember feeling really frustrated with our inability to get them to fall asleep on their own. On most days, they needed to be carried and patted till they were sound asleep before we could transfer them to the cot.

But with Olivia, I feel different.

It's not that she is making things any easier for us. Like her brothers, she also needs to be carried and patted at naps and bedtime and would only fall asleep in our arms. In fact, 99% of the time, she would only settle when I keep her company at bedtime.

I'm sure if we really want to, or rather, if I really want to, we could train her to fall asleep on her own. There are tons of books out there with strategies for desperate parents to follow. We didn't follow them wholeheartedly when the boys were little because E and I couldn't see eye-to-eye on the methods, which in a way, sabotaged our success rates. But with Olivia, this isn't an issue since I'm the one who handles nearly all her naps and bedtimes.

However, I have decided to indulge this baby.

The truth is, I am enjoying every moment of it. Even though it means spending many hours a day just carrying and patting her and having to be around at her naps and bedtimes, I remind myself to cherish these moments. After all, she is my last baby. And she will never be this small, ever again.

In those quiet times as I held her close and watched her drift into dreamland, I count my blessings. Just humming her lullabies and pausing every few minutes to kiss her forehead makes me happy. 

If only we could bottle up her her beautiful smell and store her cuteness for future enjoyment!! 

Here was the baby taking an afternoon nap on a weekend. E cuddled her and after a long time she finally settled. I peeped into the room to find her all propped by our pillows. Hee... 

(Of course we will never leave her alone like this!)