Actually, we have teeth, but that didn’t go as well with my Apollo 13 theme.
Oh my goodness, I don’t even know where to start I’m so excited about her new pearly whites. I guess I’ll start at the beginning. A little over two weeks ago I took Leah to the doctor. I decided she had an ear infection. She was tugging at her ears and rubbing her cheeks really hard. She was fussy and not sleeping well. She seemed very needy. Teeth did enter my mind, but I shrugged it off because “they” tell me teeth don’t come until six months. After a thorough check-up, I was told her ears were in tip top shape. And the rest of her health was in tip top shape. Okay, so what’s the deal, doc? By observing her trying to gnaw her thumbs off, and looking at her gums he told me my then three month old was working on her two bottom teeth. Of course she was. That started a long and painful process for all three Proebstings. He said Tylenol could be our best friend, and that they still might take a week or two to break through. I have always had a thing with medicine. I don’t like having to depend on it. But that went out the window. I didn’t want to overdose her, but she was in pain and it helped her – so why would I not give her as much as the dosing directions allowed? Even with Tylenol we were in for some rough days and nights. Her sleep lately has been deplorable. Waking up every 3 or 4 hours. Sometimes screaming. There were days when I didn’t brush my teeth, change my clothes or shower until Kyle got home. There was a day when I only ate Salami, chips, and frosting out of the can. There were days when I was covered in drool and spit up alike, but didn’t even care to change – I would just re-dirty new clothes. There were inconsolable tears from Leah, even with the Tylenol, and that was by far the worst part. About three days before they actually broke through I could see them coming, and I got so excited! Her gums got really swollen, I could see white underneath, and the day before they broke she had a little blood blister over one of them. So sad, but at the same time I knew it was almost over. Finally, Saturday morning I stuck my finger in her mouth like I had done every day for the last two weeks praying for something sharp – and I got it! I felt a hard and sharp little surface and I’m pretty sure I squealed in excitement. Only one though? But after inspecting her mouth I noticed the other one had a similar blood blister, which I hoped meant it would be here Sunday. And it was. We now have two of the most beautiful bottom teeth I have ever seen. And we can all relax.
Except not.
Because her chewing has not slowed, her sleep has not improved, everything is still covered in drool, and she has gotten a new dose of fussiness. Are more on the way soon? Who knows. I would like to say no because “they” tell me I have a month or so before the top teeth appear… but “they” haven’t met Leah. So we will do what we have done for the last almost three weeks. We will not sleep, I will stick my finger in her mouth every day, she will only want to be held, and we will take Tylenol like we may never get it again. And I will enjoy spoonful after spoonful of frosting as I drown my sorrows.
The teeth weren’t the only good part of the weekend. Remember that wedding? The one that was five and a half hours away? Well, Leah was an absolute champion the whole way there and back! She didn’t make a peep. She slept most of each way and when she was awake Kyle or I sat in the back and played with her. Everyone made it there and back in one piece. And during the wedding while the rest of the babies were crying or talking mine was sleeping peacefully in my arms – afterall, she was in a church. And we all know how she loves church. Leah also started reaching for people this weekend! Let the record show that the first person she reached for was her Uncle Kyle, who is terrified of her. But whether he likes it or not, she is determined to make him hold her. After that she has reached for both Kyle and myself. It just warms my heart when she actively chooses to be held by one of us.
We are still enjoying a meal a day of cereal. She seems to like it okay. She is a pain in the butt to feed though. She squirms all over, arches her back, turns her head to look at everything, and talks her way through it. And holding her down makes it worse, so I just follow her every ridiculous move with the spoon hoping something lands in her mouth. So far, she’s gotten it not only in her mouth, but also in her eye and up her nose. She is also trying to sit up constantly. So far she can sit completely upright in her bouncer, on our bed, or on the couch – but no such luck on the floor. She gives it her best effort, however. I’m sure it won’t be long.
One day last week when the teething was exceptionally bad and she wasn’t sleeping I decided to sit with her in the rocking chair and just read. We read every book she had, and she didn’t even move. She was so interested and never got bored. It was so nice to have a variety other than Brown Bear to read. I can’t say enough how much I love that books are her favorite.
She’s growing up so fast. And her new teeth make it seem even faster. 19 weeks already. She is definitely taking advantage of every week – it’s so hard to keep up with her and she’s not even mobile! I’m so excited to enter this Holiday Season with her. We are taking her shopping for her own presents this weekend, and I’m more excited about that than any present I’ll get. I’ve got a hunch that this might be my favorite Christmas yet.
No comments:
Post a Comment