Cuddle Bug

Seems like everyone is getting sick again, and our family is no exception. So far, it seems like we've just got little colds, so I'm crossing my fingers that it doesn't get any worse. I feel so bad for the baby. She's so congested that its hard for her to nurse or suck on her pacifier. Lexi doesn't take a pacifier very much during the day, but it helps her sleep. Usually I just give her the binky and lay her down in the crib and she goes right to sleep. Lately though, she screams when we put her down because she can't breathe with the binky in her mouth and wants to be rocked to sleep. And I'm the ONLY one who can rock her to sleep. Sometimes its frustrating to have to sit in there for 20 minutes not knowing what kind of trouble the boys are getting into or feeling like I could do so many other things. Or annoying when I have to leave a social event early because she's screaming for her momma and won't go to sleep without me. But once I get in there and she settles down, it's so peaceful and so nice to just snuggle with my little one. I find myself not wanting to lay her down when she's finally asleep because I just want to keep holding her.

Lexi is a momma's girl right now. If I'm in the room, she thinks she needs to be in my arms or clutching to my legs. She'll crawl over as fast as she can and pull herself up on my pant legs then fuss until I pick her up. She's quite possessive over her momma. When we're putting the boys down to sleep and they are sitting in my lap, she'll crawl over to me, pull herself up on one of the boys and claw at them as she tries to wriggle herself in. Its quite humorous, and the boys handle it pretty well. They patiently endure being beat up by their little sister and most times if they hear her crying they'll tell me "Lexi wants you". She's going through some pretty bad separation anxiety. I left her with the boys in Child Watch at the YMCA while I went to go work out, and 8 minutes into it, I was paged to come back and get her because she wouldn't stop screaming. We're going to try it again at a different time in the day and see if that helps any. I know its just a stage.....I just need to remind myself that it won't last forever and I should enjoy that my daughter needs me as much as she does right now. So for now, she's like a fixture on my hip or in a backpack and she's content and so I am too.