Lupus instinct - go with your gut!

Babies are fascinating, aren't they? (Baby Bernadette happens to be adorable, too, so it makes it that much easier for wonderment to take hold!) But I've recently been observing Bernie when she takes a
6- oz. bottle, and I'm amazed with the pattern that has emerged.

About 80% of the time, she drinks the whole thing, right up until about 5 oz. At that point, she usually stops drinking, comes off the bottle, and looks around, completely satisfied. But if I sit there long enough (like 30 seconds) with the bottle close by, she'll see the bottle, decide she should finish off the rest, and downs the last ounce, only to have that last ounce come right back out about 3 minutes later. It's as though her gut is telling her that 5 oz. is sufficient, but once she lets her head in the game (by seeing the unfinished bottle and thinking that she should just finish off what she started), she pushes herself an ounce too far and then she pays for it.

Now - don't get me wrong - the whole ordeal isn't a big deal. She could care less whether she spits up or not. She's not in any pain, she's not inconvenienced in the least, and I think it's only her mom and her mom's clothes that really get the brunt of her decision making process. But I've realized there's a pattern. And I know I'm guilty of pulling the same stunt myself.

How many times have I been running around like crazy, trying to accomplish this, or do that, and I find myself yawning. My gut reaction? Wow. I need a nap. Right away, my body signals that it's time to stop. But ever so quickly, my brain decides to weigh in on the decision, and before you know it, I find myself silently chanting things like, "finish what you started", "don't leave it for later", or, the worst, "just one more minute." 

I KNOW what I should do - my body's giving me the international sign for fatigue, right? (Well - I know - it could be a sign of something else involving oxygen, carbon dioxide, and the like - but just let me run with the fatigue thing for a minute.)

So my gut instinct - my very first reaction - is that I should take a nap, or at least stop what I'm doing and make a quick assessment. But my very NEXT reaction is to let my accomplish-driven personality take over. My inherent desire to leave no task undone (or zero milk in the bottle, if you will), takes over - and I think myself into doing too much.

I realize Bernie isn't suffering from any sort of 11-month old can-do attitude syndrome, but she is thinking the whole thing through a bit more than maybe she should. Good thing is that most of the time, I help her decide wisely. And thankfully, I listen to my gut a lot more than I used to. Let's hope I can continue to help Bernie listen to hers!