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Yes . . . I gave in.
I gave in to many things with my son.
Things like feeding on demand.
Never putting him down.
Picking him up every time I heard a whimper.
Every single safety gadget imaginable purchased and in place.
And as he got older, continued to give in . . .
To snacks of cookies, meals of goldfish, more hugs, cake before dinner, sleeping in my bed . . .
Carrying him everywhere even when he could walk . . .
Not making him “cry it out” . . .
I ignored snide comments about, “If you do that for him, he will turn out like this,” and, “You spoil him, he’s already two years old,” and, “Don’t pick him up just because he’s crying.”
If you mean knowing I gave my son some ease for a few years after he spent months in the hospital being poked, prodded, and in pain instead of happily growing in my belly . . . then I will pay for it all day, every single day.
Because even though my little guy may be “spoiled,” this mama was just so darn happy, grateful, and relieved that he was home and healthy . . . because those first several weeks of life with him were simply terrifying.
Those weeks of watching him cry and not being able to comfort him were heartbreaking.
So did I give in? YES.
He is a smart, kind-hearted, sensitive, and brave little boy.
And he’s mine.
Sometimes it’s OK to let yourself get caught up in giving in . . . because it means we have a little one to give in to.
And that is a true blessing.
This post originally appeared on Project NICU
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