Friday: Tooth Fairy

Oh, where do I begin? Let's start with:

Friday

So. I decided a while back that Rain would be a toothless 20-year-old. I mean, there she was at her birthday party chomping on cake with only her gums--only her gums! Come on, kid! You're a year old--show some enamel! Most kids get teeth around 7 months old, and some are born with them, for crying out loud.

Sigh. It's not that I want Rain to hit a milestone so I can brag to other parents. The main thing is that she cries, cries, and cries about her teeth. Some nights she wakes up every 3 hours (like a newborn!) crying about her teeth. The Orajel doesn't work anymore. Frozen peas or ice chips are the only things that will calm her down.

Since there wasn't anything I could do to make her teeth grow faster, I focused my dispair on Friday, May 30. Yep, May 3-0. Friday. The day that I would finally get to vent all my frustrations to Rain's pediatrician. Rain had her 12-month check-up on Friday (they call them "wellness visits" now), and I was waiting to tell the doctor of my teething woes. I didn't expect that he would give me a magic solution (besides, if Orajel doesn't work, most doctors are going to say, "Wow, sounds like you're about to bake another batch of TOUGH COOKIES."), I just wanted a pinch of sympathy. I wanted to get it all out, you know? A tiny pity party, just for me. Something that might sweeten the bitter taste of sleepless nights. I told Rain, "Wait until the doctor sees you don't have any teeth! He's going to feel so sorry for mommy."

At Rain's appointment, the doctor & I went over the usual items (weigh-in, head measurement, height check, blah, blah, blah). Finally, it was time for the good stuff.

"Well," the doctor said, "it's time to check on how those teeth are coming along. I'm sure this will be like a WWWF match getting in there, so why don't you hold her hands, and I'll hold her head?" He pulled out a tongue depressor, and I took hold of Rain's hands and shoulders as best I could.

As soon as the doctor got Rain's mouth open, she tussled and tossed as expected. I shook my head knowingly ("See? See how she is with me??") as the doctor worked Rain's mouth open wider and wider.

"Ah, there we go!" he said. "Look, Mom, right there. It looks like Miss Rain has a tooth that's come through." The night before Rain grew a tooth.

That is so messed up.