What pretty blue eyes on this baby, huh?!! This picture makes me think of your God Daughter, Olivia.
I chose this pic because Naief has started to bite. At first it started as a teething thing. I thought it would pass, but it's actually gotten worse. It started a couple of months back with him getting ahold of my clothes and pulling back on them, but now it's full fledged biting.
He's not biting anyone else or anything... it's not like that, it's just momma. He tried to bite daddy's leg the other night, but usually it's when I'm holding him and he's frustrated, excited or agitated. The other night he almost drew blood.
They say not to pull back when it happens, but it's really hard. Your natural reflex is to pull away from it, but lemme tell ya... it hurts! He's gotten ahold of my index finger a couple of times - yes, it's my fault for putting it in his mouth - and the last time I thought he broke the skin.. but he didn't.
I think the problem is that I laughed the first time and thought it was cute. Since then, he thinks it's a game. Or, until recently.
A few weeks ago I tried biting him back. Not hard or anything, but just to show him that it hurts. He cried and it broke my heart. So I only tried that twice. Then I got upset and would hold him away from me, looking right in his eyes and told him sternly, "no biting mommy". A few times he cried. After telling my friend, Puppy, about it, she gave me an idea. She was a biter as a little girl and her mother used to always tell her, "no biting, give me kisses" and it seemed to work. So over the last few days, I've been doing that. It seems to work for the most part.
Altho today he's been biting a little more than usual. Earlier today, he got ahold of me and I calmly and gently said, "no biting love, give me kisses" and then I kissed him. Boy, he watches my eyes like a hawk! He watches my every emotion... that's why I'm staying very calm w/ him. It's hard though... especially when he gets you really bad. But I've noticed that if I get upset, he'll go right back to get me again.
So, do you any of you seasoned mothers or parents out there have any good advice for me? I don't want Naief getting bigger and biting other children. I hope that this is only a phase that he'll grow out of .... we shall see.
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Some really great news. Me and Naief will be traveling to the States around Dec. 10th to visit my family. I'm soooo excited, but a little nervous. I'm gonna get some meds from the dr. to help Naief sleep, but he's not good about sitting in one place for a long time, which makes me a bit anxious at the thought of traveling for so many hours and how he'll do, and what I'll entertain him with... I guess I'll have to take lots of little toys, books and such.
This trip will be different for me. I'm a mother now. Before, me and my younger sis have had our arguments.... sometimes even to the point that we could strangle each other... but I think w/ my being a new mother and her working full time, things will be different. She loves babies and is dying to meet Naief and my mom.. well, she didn't think I'd ever have a baby. I can't wait for her to meet him. Brings tears to my eyes just to think that I'll be there in a couple of weeks!
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Hmmmm... what else. Well, one of our cats got out and is gone. I realized it Sunday morning and panicked. He was a yellow tabby cat, and so incredibly sweet. His name was/is Wilson. We got him w/ his two sisters about 2 yrs ago, if that long, and they're all so loving and gentle. I just can't believe he's gone. I've called for him... went out today w/ the baby and hoped that I'd see him, but nothing.
I don't even know when he got out or how. The woman who works for us sometimes lets the outside cats in and she's let our cats out a couple of times, and she's also left windows open... so maybe he got out from an open window. He also looks just like the outside cat, Tigger, so maybe she put Wilson out by mistake. I don't know. I'm worried and have come to conclusion that he won't be coming home. He knew nothing of the outdoors really. Nothing of cars and staying safe... and nothing of the wild dogs that roam our neighborhood at night.
Last weekend I heard the dogs outside barking like crazy and figured it was a cat they were after... maybe it was Wilson.
I just hope, if he's alive, he finds his way home. I really hope to see him again. He was such a sweet boy.. even tho he'd pee on things he wasn't supposed to... I still really loved him. It makes me sad.
I swear... I have 8 more little tragedies to live thru.... 10 if you count the outside cats.
