Am I normal-ish?

Reese is 8 months old!  Such a big, cuddly boy!

However, for the past 3 months, Reese has been attacking himself in his sleep.  He attacks his head, face and eyes like an angry bear.  He wakes up with bloody scratches  and raw spots.   I have put gloves and socks over his hands but he takes them off.  I trim his nails every 34 seconds.  We have to double swaddle him at night to keep his hands down.  He has severe eczema which I know is common in babies and I am sure this is the cause of his teenage self-cutting behavior.  His pediatrician is on my speed dial and we have tried EVERY product on the market... Eucerin, Aquaphor, Aveeno Baby Eczema Oatmeal bath, Rx lotion,  hypo-allergic/dye free/perfume free everything, Cetaphil, unicorn blood (thanks Potter).    My heart breaks for the poor guy because I know he has to be incredibly itchy.   His little head and face look like he has been mauled by our cats….they actually have nothing to do with him because they are huge snobs.   BUT, besides his self-mutilating actions, he is the HAPPIEST baby I have ever been around.  His laugh is contagious and his dimple is to die for.    I say all of this to give content to the real purpose of this blog……

I have become THAT mom.

This morning, I was at Starbucks (shocking) and saw a baby sitting in a carrier on his daddy’s chest.  Perfect combo.    I asked The Starbuck's Dad how old his son was…8 months.   Of course, I was like “OMG, seriously, so is MYYYY son.”….if you are a mom, you have totally done this.  After telling me about his son's massive crawling adventures, he asked if my son was crawling.  GASP!  No, he isn’t.  Is Reese behind?  Is he paralyzed?  Will he ever make it in the world?  Have I damaged him by strapping his arms down at night and now he has no arm muscle strength.  Is he normal?  Am I normal?  Is this real life?

We cant help comparing our kids….BUT, I take it to a whole new level…creeper style.   The little boy was adorable and I looked at his face and head and didn’t see a scratch.  I thought, “He must sleep so peacefully without itching”.   Instinct overtook me and I stroked his head and said, “Your head looks so good”.  What the hell does that even mean, Jami??  Geez!  Starbucks Dad just looked at me and smiled but secretly wanted to escape.   And if that tactless act wasn’t enough, I caught myself holding onto his tiny foot like I was one with him.    After realizing that I have become THAT person... the one that uninvitedly touches babies.  I left.  With my tea.  And my tail tucked between my legs.  I will now be more patience when rando’s come up and touch Reese…..they…we cant help it.

I give an ocular pat down to EVERY baby I see to ensure my son is normal and on the right developmental track.  Is that creepy?  

For you mommies that I have called crying, laughing and unreasonably questioning all baby milestones, THANK YOU for your patience.  And a big thank you to my dear friend, Valen for posting this blog My Top 5 Mom Tips

Starbuck's Dad:  If you ever come across this blog, I am sorry I was such a creeper.  Your baby is adorable and he really does have a nice head.