Rough Night

What exactly makes a baby a bad baby? I get asked all the time, "Is she a good baby?" I never quite know how to answer that. Well, how would you describe a good baby? Quiet? Sleeps well? Good eater? Okay, my little one is really none of those things. Does that make her bad? I can't imagine we'd ever tell a 3 year old she had a bad personality because she wasn't quiet and compliant. In fact, those skills don't necessarily benefit a person as they get older.

Last night was a rough night. It was probably what some would describe as "bad baby" behavior. Not that she could really help it I suppose. Wouldn't fall asleep until around midnight and that was only in bed with me. Slept a few hours in her co-sleeper after I ever so gently slid her from under my arm into her bed. Woke up to eat again at 5:30 and half an hour later she'd pooped all over my bed. I suppose those are the dangers of co-sleeping. Besides suffocation of course. Although I'd say the chances of turning over into a pile of spit-up or a wet poopy spot are much higher than suffocation.

I tend to always look for a "reason" for the behavior. I figure if there's a reason then I can fix it. I admit to certain ridiculous thinking along these lines. Last night (and actually it was at 6 am this morning but since I was planning to sleep a few more hours, I'm calling it night), I was thinking, "You just pooped all over yourself to make sure I had to get up and change your diaper, didn't you?" See I've pretty much stopped changing her diaper at night. She rarely poops and frankly I'm too exhausted to get up and I'd rather try and keep her as asleep as possible. Her changing table makes her giddy for some reason. She goes from fast asleep to laughing in seconds. But of course she's started to get a little diaper rash (I thought we had that all taken care of!!). So I'm thinking, what kind of mother lets her baby stew in urine all night and gives her a diaper rash? So certainly, she must have had a blow-out to insist that I get up and change her. She's quite clever like that.