separation anxiety?

A friend (J) graciously volunteered to watch the boys last night. Rodgers and I had not been planning on going out, but we had no problem coming up with a last-minute date night!

Nate was great. He's the one I worry about with babysitters because he is so afraid of strangers and grown-ups who aren't strangers but also are not his parents or grandparents. Also, J had never babysat Nate before. But he was not a problem at all. Bedtime is probably the easiest time of day with Nate because his bedtime routine is so ingrained in him. The rest of the day is too unpredictable to create such a rigid routine. Well, maybe if I were Supermom I could.

Ben was apparently fine until it got close to bedtime, then he just couldn't be happy. J said she tried to feed him his bedtime bottle. He started eating, then decided he'd rather cry. She rocked him. He started to fall asleep, then decided to cry some more. She would soothe him, then he'd look at her and start crying. She'd put him in bed, then he'd cry. She was afraid he was coming down with something. She's taken care of him before, and he's always so happy.

We came home to a crying Ben. I picked him up and he immediately transformed into his usual, happy, bubbly self. He smiled. He laughed. He talked to me. Rodgers took him and fed him. He ate just fine. He just didn't want J to put him to bed!

He's young for separation anxiety, but that seems to be the culprit.

Now, come to think of it, I remember that the past few days he has gotten upset anytime I'm out of his range of vision. I was packing a box on the kitchen table the other day. He was in the bouncy chair, facing me and teething on the many toys I'd put within his reach. I walked across to the living room, just a few feet away in this apartment, but behind him. As soon as he couldn't see me, he cried the most heartbroken, high pitched (but soft) little cry. It was so sad. I have to keep talking if I'm going to be where he can't see me.