Natalie is a strange bird...she is happy and smiling one minute and extremely pissed off the next! She spits up a lot (don't worry, we've ruled out reflux), she is gassy a lot, and she gets constipated a lot. What the heck, I thought breastfed babies weren't supposed to get constipated?

She is also extremely sensitive to stimuli. I can't take her anywhere and assume she will peacefully sleep through whatever is going on. Fat chance! She seems to get anxious in groups of people. However, she seems to be getting better and better as we go out more. Sometimes I see people in public with these cute, smiling, not crying, peacefully sleeping infants and think to myself, "Why can't my kid be like that? It's not fair!"

We've taken her to the doctor and gone through a whole slew of recommendations - herbal teas, diet changes, gas drops, colic calm, gripe water, massage, bicycle legs, karo syrup, etc. My newest kick is going gluten-free and very limited amount of dairy. The plus side to this new diet? I've lost 4 lbs in 3 days! It's still to be determined if it helps Nattie's belly.

I do think we hit the colic peak and things are slowly getting better. Part of my problem is that I HATE having a crying baby in public, so taking her out to run errands gives me anxiety. I used to be that single, childless person in the grocery store thinking, "Gosh why can't that lady shut her kids up???" Now I am that lady. Oh the irony! I am starting to learn that sometimes babies cry, sometimes there's nothing you can do about it, and sometimes things just need to get done regardless of the crying baby!

I also am definitely getting my $120 worth that I spent on a baby swing for Jenna. She hated the thing and it collected dust for a year and half. Nattie, on the other hand, LOVES the swing. She spends most naps in there, which is nice for all of us. I also have to give Nattie credit for being a great sleeper once she gets to sleep. She sleeps through the night (only waking to nurse, but since we co-sleep I hardly wake at all) and she sleeps great during naps on most days. Just getting her to sleep is sometimes a hard battle. Maybe she will grow out of it?

No matter who hard of a baby she is, I still love my little Nattie Boo!

(Doesn't she look so innocent?)