Mommyhood: Striving for Sanity

View Original

Sir Isaac Droolton

     After a rather "eventful" week, filled with out-of-control behavior (we have actually resorted to setting booby traps in our house.... if you visit, please, for your own safety, do not use our upstairs restroom), poor sleep, and the beginnings of a family-sized sinus infection for each of us, I am sad to report that baby Isaac is fully teething. Yes, that's right. Teething. Naturally, the only child that doesn't cause me daily migraines and pains in the ulcer is now drooling, chewing, weeping, inconsolably agitated, and needing to be held for about 23 hours of the day. Not that holding him matters... he still does all of the aforementioned actions, it's just that he does them with less force while being held. And it also gives the holder a fantastic arm and back workout (silver lining, glass half-full, eternal optimist- take your pick).
     Speaking of benefits to holding a teething baby, I'm going to do some research into the effects of baby drool on one's skin... although sticky at first, I noticed that my skin is incredibly soft after I wipe away the goo. Perhaps we've been holding the actual Fountain of Droolth for the past 5 months and didn't even know it! I think I'll attach small jars to his jowls (like saddle bags) and bottle up this skin-softening stuff.... Avon or even Clinique would probably pay top dollar for such a product (you can take your pick from Formula Scented and Chunky Vomit... bet you can guess which one exfoliates.) But right now, my chubbylicious little cherub is finally sleeping peacefully next to me (a dose of infant tylenol and two teething tablets later) and there's a puddle of the good stuff all over my freshly-washed sheets just to the side of his face. Like throwing money down the toilet, really.
     I was told by several parents that once the gums start aching, life will be rough for quite some time.... Mommies, say it ain't so! Tell me what your experiences have been and how long this stage generally lasts. But more importantly, what you do to make your little one more comfortable during this obviously terrible era for them? My little goober has moments of big smiles and laughs, but you can see it in his eyes that he's a little down in the mouth (ba-dum ching!). Any words of advice to make this Mommy's days and nights a little more tolerable and my little guy's gums a little less sore?
See this content in the original post