Thursday, March 18, 2010

Not a happy camper! -- Unfulfilled expectations

Lydia is now over 4 weeks old. Last week--she continued to be quite irritable in the evenings from around 7 pm until 11 pm. Every night I was carrying her around the house while cooking supper, eating, etc. I couldn't put her down, and all she did was cry.

I contributed it to the "fussy" period that is written about in parenting books. It often comes "in the evening." We then discussed--"colic" wondering if it was beginning.


Then....I spoke to my mother..... "maybe she is hungry." Hmmmmm..... didn't think of that. No hand in fist, no gnawing on my shirt and anything else in sight. Let's try it. After drinking 4 ounces--this little one gulped down another 2! 6 ounces at less than four weeks old!

She's not eating that much at every feeding, but I have now learned that she eats more often and often more in the evenings (late night snacks start early!)
I've learned--that unless you communicate your needs--not everyone knows what you expect of them! I'm sure Lydia expected to be fed--but she was unable to communicate....but what about us as adults??

Expecting: "to consider probable or certain" "to consider bound in duty or obligated"


How often are we like this? I have had many moments with Brett lately where I was "expecting" something of him that I thought was "probable" and his "duty" yet never communicated it to him. Just like Lydia--I didn't know what she was "expecting." As a result--I kind of looked like the picture above--unhappy and miserable! :)

Who are you expecting something from--without communicating your needs? We can't expect others to know what we want or need without fairly communicating it. Unfulfilled expectations can make one frustrated, angry, and even bitter.

So long uncommunicated expectations--Now, we are all happy campers!



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