March 22, 2000 - Wednesday
With a very good night's sleep behind him, Harry was more his charming self this morning than he's been for me in the last couple weeks. The down side was that he didn't take his usual morning nap until very late and I wasn't able to get any work done. But, I still haven't really gotten on top of the work from home while watching Harry thing anyway.

Unfortunately, Harry wasn't so kind to his mother after I left. It wasn't that he relapsed into negative behavior, whined any great amount, or even relieved himself sans-diaper. Harry apparently rejected his mother's nurturing milk bar in favor of a bottle, which he very ungraciously finish without hesitation.

We've been talking lately about Harry's feeding habits and the possibility that his teething may be affecting his desire or ability to eat. I've noted that recently he has often jerked away after the first nibble of the bottle. And, he done the same to his mother when she has tried to feed him lately. Fortunately for me, I can reposition the bottle rather quickly, following his mouth as he fidgets and until he rededicates himself to his ultimate cause of hunger. His mother, however, lacks this facility with her method and today it became trouble.

She reports that, at the time, she proceeded as was best for Harry without emotional burden. She heated a bottle, fed him, and then made another bottle for later. But, a mother's connection to her baby runs deeper than pure practicality and Harry's rejection, however unknowingly and innocent or ruled by teething pain, ran counter to the relationship she has enjoyed sharing with Harry for some three and a half months. She knows it's probably not the time for Harry to ultimately decide to go his own way for food. In fact, just yesterday she was related to me items she'd read about how teething babies can be finicky. Yet, self-doubting and parenting seem to go hand-in-hand and Harry give her an emotional thrill ride she hadn't counted on. Fortunately, by evening, Harry and his mother were reestablishing their ties.


Comments, opinions?