Tooth Tooth Teeth!

I wrote this blog almost two weeks ago. Haven't had a moment since to sit down and put it up. Since I wrote it things haven't changed much (except may be, that my hold on sanity is becoming increasing fragile!). Baby: Still teething. Still not sleeping. Still amazingly cute. Me: Trying to cope. Trying to stay alive. Trying to stay sane.

Through all of this a few things that have helped : coffee, baking and my cousin's visit. Thanks R!

So, we have had a rough couple of nights in the last week. Though I suppose they could have been worse. His teeth, his teeth! When will all his teeth come through! Poor baby. He really has been teething pretty much all his life. He was 3 months old when it started. The drooling. The chewing. The biting. I thought, great! early teether! We'll be all done by the time he's one! Right? Not quite. His first tooth cut through just a week shy of his first birthday. And now at nearly 22 months we still have 11.5 teeth to go (well yes, one the pre-molars is half in and half out!)

I can't really think of anything worse than a toothache. And then to have this constant niggling pain/pressure under your gums. I'm often amazed at how well he deals with it. Most of the time. The nights are always worse. Though I think he's figured out that if he wakes himself up and starts playing, he can deal with it better. Hence the sleepless nights full of painting the walls and hopping up and down; and for me, thousands of extra calories that I most definitely do not need. Of course there are nights when he's just so sleepy, all he wants to do is sleep, not paint or hop or read books or destroy the flat (these times are rare, but it does happen!). And he can't, because of his darned teeth. Those nights are the worst. Up. And crying. And in obvious distress. Nothing worse.


Every time that I come close, so close, to the end of my tether (Husband hates that phrase. For reasons I still haven't quite figured out), I try to remember that its probably (most certainly in fact) worse for him. Babies have so much to deal with. And toddlers even more. Everything is new/ interesting yet potentially frightening. And then there is the physical discomfort that comes with being a baby. Burping, gas, tummy aches, allergies, rashes, nappies, teething, growing pains and very limited powers of expression. I think all things considered they do exceedingly well.

Baby is getting better at the whole communication thing though. And the joy on his face when I get some of his more complicated attempts! Like this good friend of mine once said, (her baby is exactly 9 months older then mine) some things get easier, others get harder. Truer words were never spoken!

And through all of this the baking continues. I am really quite new to the whole thing, and I don't have any of the gear (weighing scales, measuring cups etc etc) but when has that stopped me before huh! And I must say there is something comforting about baking. Maybe its the precise-ness, the order. I suppose on some level it balances the chaos that the rest of my life has become. Anyway, baked a great banana and blueberry cake and some really buttery chocolate chip cookies. Not bad for a newbie!