Ishu has been mama obsessed lately. Logically, I know this is developmentally appropriate. So part of me wants to be like, “Yeah! Go you! Building a strong attachment to mama! Right on schedule.”

And then the other part of me is like, “UGH. Don’t ask for me, don’t touch me, don’t come near me.”

(I’m a good mom. I love my kid. But I’m also allowed to feel touched out at the end of the day).

Anyway, up until the past couple days, he has typically been okay with Ankur giving him a bottle and then Ankur brushing his teeth.

But, lately, he’s been in tears wanting nothing but mama.

I think it’s pretty damn easy for someone to step back and shrug their shoulders and say, “Well, I’m not mama. And he’s very clearly wanting mama.”

Especially when that someone just finished a long, tiring work day.

But he doesn’t. He just keeps walking through the consistent routine.

And, eventually, Ishu is OK again. OK with Papa doing the bedtime routine. OK in Papa’s arms as he rocks (and beatboxes) him to sleep.

Last night, I could hear him crying out for mama. And I positioned myself in such a way so that I was visible to Ankur and not to Ishu. Signaling to Ankur that he could pass him off to me.

But he just carried on, rocking him to sleep.

So I tiptoed out of the room. And, less than 5 minutes later, Ankur joined me in the living room. Ishu was fast asleep.

I know that we’re a team and I know that I don’t have to do everything on my own. But, again, it would be SO easy for Ankur to step back and hand him off to me. SO easy to say, “He’s asking for mama.”

But he doesn’t.

And that just makes me love him so much. Knowing that he never wants to take the easy way out. He wants to do the thing that shows both Ishu and his mama that they are loved and cared for. Even if it requires a little more effort.