It's the holidays, and there's been a lot going on. The hours go by, leaving me with so much unfinished business. I haven't written anything about Zanita in a long time since I've been sick. A lot has occurred to her, and I'm here to tell you about a few of them.
Zanita attended her first wedding event a month ago. I was excited to take her to her first social event. Prior to that, the only places she had been to were my office, church, and our family house. Her first social outing wasn't a fun one. As we arrived at the venue, the loud music made her so uncomfortable that she started crying. I tried my best to pacify her, but she wouldn't stop crying. Her cries made me so uncomfortable that I had to leave the hall and sit outside for the duration of the wedding ceremony.
At one point, I wished I hadn't gone to the wedding. I missed out on all of the excitement. She was irritable and wouldn't stop sobbing. I tried feeding her at the wedding, but she ruined the food. Her father was inside having fun, which made me green with envy because I'd been outside with Zanita trying to quiet her down so I could enjoy the wedding I had dressed up for.
We had another wedding ceremony to attend two weeks later, and I was terrified about the outcome. Fortunately for me, it was an outside event with less loud music than the previous one. I discovered a sitting position that would allow me to easily leave if she started crying. Fortunately for me, the crying this time was minor, and not long after we arrived, she noticed some kids who piqued her interest, and she began socializing. She even danced to the beats at one point. I had a good time at the wedding this time. I watched the entire ceremony and even ate the wedding feast that I shared with her.
We went to the beach last week. I enjoy going to the beach because of the serenity and peace it provides. I hoped Zanita would enjoy or find the beach interesting. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the beach, the music was really loud, and she began sobbing because she is not used to hearing loud music. The father had to carry her to calm her down, and I used the opportunity to plunge my legs into the waves. It was a wonderful sensation.
We were at the beach for five hours. Zanita eventually gave up and began playing in the sand. However, I doubt I'll be taking her to any social events anytime soon because she's been suffering from separation anxiety. She won't let anyone carry her, save her father and me. I believe that is a phase that will pass, along with her fear of social situations.
How did your child react the first time you brought him or her to a social gathering? I'd love to hear from you in the comments.
Thank you very much for visiting. Keep being excellent parents till next time, when I'll offer additional insights about Zanita..
All images from my camera roll