You’re not alone on the crying thing. But it changes. For better and worse. Soon you will begin to hear something more to the crying. I thought some of that Oprah wackiness about the language of crying was hoo-hoo bs. But there is something to it. When they need certain things there is a tone, a timbre to it that is more about where the need is coming from than any language skills but it becomes a signal for you to do something. It actually becomes calming. At first you just don’t know what to do to shut the kid up. Heightened by lack of sleep and a dread that you are screwing something up it is crazy at times. But as you begin to hear what they are crying about then you can deal fast and the ability to do something that works is really a great feeling.

But then the little bastards figure out how to manipulate the cry. They do it early too. Way earlier than I thought possible. My wife nailed it and would make fun of me when I got played.

Good luck. I do admit, I am still annoyed when I hear someone else’s kid cranked up. Tolerance is reserved for my own kind.