We have our very own joey at home. That's right, joey....... and no, I did not mispell 'Jax' :) A joey is a baby kangaroo. Jax is our joey. He is practically attached to us wherever we go, especially me. Separation anxiety is at an all time high. If Jax could, he would gladly ride around in my pocket, just like joeys ride in their mama kangaroo's pocket. Separation anxiety spiked around the time he turned 10 months old. When I leave the room for a brief second, he cries. When I leave him in the babysitting room at the YMCA to go exercise, the child care worker brings me a sobbing Jax after 20 minutes! When I tried to leave him with a friend who has a little home daycare (and who he's familiar with) so I could run some errands, he cried for 2 straight hours! Yikes.
Its just a stage, so I keep reading. The anxiety usually hits between 10-18 months. I hope we don't have to wait until next summer before he's okay to be left alone!
The flip side of all of this, is that when I bring him to Taj's music class and gymnastics class, or story time, he is far from shy. He does not need to sit in my lap (like Taj does), and he ventures on his own..... as long as I am within earshot and in his eye sight! You would never think this easy going, confident, and outgoing little guy would get so emotional and needy when I'm not there. Even though my hope for "me" time Fridays while Taj is at his pre preschool class have been crushed, and only Brad can really relieve me to go to appointments or run errands, I'm trying to stay positive and think of this is as "super sweet precious time with my youngest". When Jax has grown and stops crying for me, I will miss it. Better cherish this time, and patiently wait for this stage to pass. In hindsight, Jax falls asleep wonderfully and sleeps great, so I guess I will just have to be a bit of a vampiress to get things done in the evening, and have that "me" time and leisure time after he goes down for the night.
Ah the sacrifices we make as mommies! LOL Yet again, interesting how every baby is so different when it comes to things! When Taj was a baby, he barely had separation anxiety..... maybe because at his 4 month mark I went back to work part-time, so he adjusted fairly young. He was also ok taking a bottle from someone else besides me. Jax still won't take a bottle, and because he continues breastfeeding, I think that is why he is so attached to me. I'm his comfort and security. So while Taj attends his Friday pre preschool (and possibly Tuesdays now), my little joey and I will continue having our special mommy-son time, playing at the playground, story time at the library, running errands, and grocery shopping. I believe this is Jax's clever plan to have his mommy all to himself :)
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