It'll Pass

On and off for a month, Rain has been teething. This week, she's cried about it every day. When she cries over her teeth, it's different from her other cries. She shoves her fingers in her mouth, muffling her screams. Tears fall and she grabs her foot to squeeze for comfort.

You might think because Rain cries all the time that I would be able to dismiss her teething cries like I do her other cries (ex: "I know you're mad and crying right now, Missy, but believe me, you don't want me to leave this stuff in your diaper.") But there's something about her pain cry ... She moans like, "It hurts, it hurts ..." She has pain, but she doesn't know why. Tim's mother told him the other day that all of his teeth came in about the same time, and from Rain's swollen gums, I think that may be the case with her.

So there she is, drooling and whimpering, and I'm spreading Baby Orajel over her gums, ignoring the "consult your doctor if infant is less than 4 months old" label. Don't shudder; when you're a parent, you'll learn to ignore most things & do what you think is best.

When the Orajel fades, if she's still crying, I do what I suppose all moms do when their kids gets teased at school, when they break bones on the playground despite the mile-high pile of woodchips, and when their hearts get broken: I hold her, rock side-to-side, and tell her, "It'll pass."

Pictured: Rain after a teething bout, comforted by Mr. Froggy, her pacifier, and her favorite blanket.