For the last couple of months Charles has been a double-bumper grumper boy. Before that he was a very happy (if needy) boy. But shortly after we took him off the bottle he became excessively needy, grumpy and generally unhappy. I would have to physically hold him all morning until I dropped him off at day care. He would cry and be miserable all day, where before he had been the model child (happy and cooperative). The day care had some turnover at about the same time, so it may have been the combination of that and no bottle (Charles really liked his bottle).
But over just the last week Charles’ mood is much better. I don’t have to hold him much in the morning (in fact, he resists after a bit because he wants to go and do things). The day care reports that he’s mostly back to his previous self.
I thought that it would be so nice to not have to lug around 25 pounds of boy for several hours every morning, but now I kind of miss it. I’m sitting here typing while Charles is playing with his blocks, totally absorbed. At least his still likes it when I go over and pick him up for some squeezing - for a few minutes, until he gets bored and needs to play some more.
What I’ve realized in retrospect is that it was Erica who “fixed” Charles. His change in attitude came immediately after Erica’s babysitting. Erica claims she didn’t do anything special but Charles certainly seems much happier.