Shimmy, shimmy, shake, shake

Last week my 19-month old shimmied in the middle of Baby Gap. The Gap conglomerate does tend to play a totally rad soundtrack, but the shimmy was new...but not necessarily unexpected. Raising Evangeline means to expect the unexpected; I think this is an ad campaign and it must be good as it is seared into my brain enough that I am using it to describe my child.

She is our first baby and from the moment she was born she demanded attention. Any baby that takes 31 hours after water breaking to appear is clearly not willing to be told what to do.  I'd read so many books in preparation for this baby yet she required that I read even more when she arrived as I had not prepared for this kind of baby. 

I cloaked myself in Dr. Sears' Parenting the High-Needs Baby and took comfort that there were babies even MORE demanding than my sweet baby; babies even MORE insistent than my darling girl.  I felt horrible that others harrowing stories brought me solace, but they did.  I used to repeat the belief that babies that are high needs tend be very smart, focused, motivated, and successful kids and adults.  No one needed to outline the studies for me, point me to the research on high-needs babies versus the dullard ones (kidding, kidding)--I NEEDED to believe that it was true.

Yet, the proof woke me up every morning by screaming for attention and bursting into giggles and sun-filled smiles when I picked her up.  This baby nursed voraciously and gave me blinks and nods of approval while eating away.  This baby started walking at ten months.  This baby resisted all efforts at a sleep schedule.  I adored this baby.  She wore us out, caused much worry and questioning (what in the HELL were we thinking?!), but she consumed our hearts.

I just realized this is in past tense.  I must be reflecting the realization that she is not a high-needs baby anymore.  As a toddler, she is a force of nature, yet her mercurial behavior has subsided (mostly) leaving behind a very loving, delicious toddler.  Again, just when I thought I knew what to expect...