Easily startled

When our baby isn’t in a deep trance fully limp and impossible to wake to feed, he is a light sleeper who often tosses and sputters and sometimes cries out. I’ve gotten into the habit of saying “good boy” when he fusses in the night, and believe the sound of my voice soothes him a bit and keeps a brief cry from turning into a full out tantrum that requires a long walk with back patting. Mom has asked me not to respond to him in an attempt to help him learn to self soothe.

Last night he cried out a single sound and Kelsey said “what a cute beep”. It took me a few requests for her to repeat it before I understood what she meant by “beep”.

We’re lucky that he tolerates some rustling and whispers when sleeping and doesn’t require absolute still. But he is easily startled. If you brush against him when he’s in a light sleep he’ll spasm and jerk his hands up, getting this expression like “what’d you do that for?” He’ll quickly settle back down.

He just did that when I coughed, and I thought I’d write it down so I don’t forget. I find myself staring at him thinking, will I forget what he looked like as a baby when he’s all grown up with just a few pictures to remind me.