Cranky cranky all day long!

Yesterday was vaccination day for Tiny. 2 injections and polio drops. The first time he got vaccinated, he was all of 3 days old and I was still too weak to move around. So mom took him for the vaccination and I had absolutely no idea what it would be like.

This time, I was prepared for a little bit of crankiness and some screaming and crying fits. I had also decided to hold him through the vaccinations. We reached the hospital and there was one more little baby, slightly older than Tiny, ahead of us waiting to be vaccinated.  They went in, i heard loud cries and some desperate cajoling by both the parents. and when they came out the kid was still howling away and the mother was also in tears...the poor dad din't know who to cajole! The sight gave me cold feet. Tiny was immediately transferred to my mother's confident arms. She welcomed him and gave me an all-knowing smile!

I went in with them. Well, Tiny's pediatrician isn't the friendliest of people nor is she the stereotypical loving candy-floss type of a doctor. Though she's a great doctor, she can be quite rude at times. She's not even the types to talk to babies and put them at ease. She just goes about with her work.

I think Tiny had sensed that something new was going to happen. The moment we walked in and the doctor put the stethoscope on his chest, Tiny did something very unusual. He looked at her and flashed a 10,000 watt smile with some lovely gurgling sounds. Even the doctor couldn't contain herself..she said 'hello baby..someone's become a big boy' and smiled back. I was surprised. The she quickly readied the injections and told us to keep talking to Tiny. We started while she finished. Tiny's face contorted and first a whimper and then the loud cry. really loud. It was heart wrenching. I then looked at his thigh..drops of blood trickling down. I had tears in my eyes. Tiny was sobbing inconsolably. It was time for the second injection. This worsened the sobbing  and I was ready to throw up. My mom also had tears in her eyes. I din't dare let the tears show cos I was sooo scared of the doctor. Lame reason, i know!

The drive back home rocked Tiny to sleep. But he woke up and continued crying the moment we got home. The crying continued through the day and the night. And this morning as well. Thankfully, it has subsided now and so has my nervousness.

It still breaks my heart to see two tiny pieces of band-aid on his little thighs. But I am braver by 2 vaccinations and hopefully will be able to hold and console Tiny through his next set of vaccinations in December.

When Tiny cries...

...He doesn't just cry. He howls his head off and he's unstoppable! The first time I heard him cry it was just a little whimper and both mom and went 'aaawwww...such a silent little doll he is!' Then, we heard his real cry when the nurses took him across the corridor for a vaccination. OMG...was that my baby?!

There was no looking back after that..he'd cry when the nurses gave him a sponge bath, he'd cry when he was hungry....for almost anything. It is for us to figure out why he could be crying and act accordingly. He could be hungry OR he could be sleepy OR he could have wet / dirtied himself OR he's scared OR he wants attention OR he got startled and wants to be comforted OR he's uncomfortable OR he's in pain OR (and the list could go on and on and on).

The problem is that Tiny is impatient. So, if he's sleepy and I think he's crying for hunger..he cries till he turns maroon in the face, giving me a shock! OR if he's hungry and I check his diaper before checking if he's hungry   , he'll make sure he cries so much that I remember not to repeat the mistake the next time.

Now i've figured out a way to interpret his cries..he cries differently for hunger, for sleep etc. so the mistakes are fewer. And the best part is that once we've attended to him, he quietens in a few minutes and has this angelic look on his face making us wonder if it was the same baby that was bringing the roof down just a few minutes ago. Smart kid!