Mid-day Meltdown

Logan just got over a 40 minute crying fit. It was a bit trying on Daddy's nerves. He doesn't normally get like this, but when he does, watch out! For some reason, on the way back from the YMCA he fell asleep in the car. According to Daddy's schedule, he wasn't due for a nap for at least another hour or two, so I thought it a bit strange. Anyway, I put him down in his crib, and he was quiet for five minutes and then started to cry. I picked him up figuring he wasn't tired. We played for a few minutes, I gave him a bottle, and he was still fussing and acting like he was tired. So I put him down. He cried for another 5-10 minutes and I cracked and went in to soothe him. He wasn't having it. Neither was I. I put him in his crib and decided to take a shower. 30 minutes later he was still crying vehemently. I went in and this time he fell asleep in my arms in minutes, every so often doing a huge gasp from crying so hard. I felt like I was abandoning him while I took my shower, but then again, I'm not one who enjoys the abuse Logan doles out when he's in one of these moods. I feel conflicted. On the one hand, I think Logan just needs to get over it and be able to deal with his emotions on his own. Let him "cry it out" no matter how long it takes. (And for him, it takes a long time). On the other hand, what am I teaching him by ditching him in his crib when he's fussy? Maybe in his lil' baby brain he had a justifiable reason for crying? Or maybe he just felt like crying for no reason? The fact is, he's a baby. He can cry. In fact, the world would probably be a better place if we all cried more often. But when we cry, do we want to be left alone? A comforting embrace or pat on the back makes crying and the act of crying better because we know we're not alone. No one wants to be abandoned in an emotional state. So let the balancing act begin. Do we coddle our children leaving them vulnerable to this harsh world? Do we toughen them up and stymie their emotional expression? Or do we try to find the middle path between the two?