Teething

Oh my.  Teething with Annabel is so different than it was with Tommy.  With Tommy, I never even knew he was getting a tooth until I saw it or felt it in his mouth.  They just came in, no problem.  With my sweet girl, it's a nightmare.  Her gums are so swollen, her ears hurt, she's stuffed up, she's been running a fever on and off (I even took her to the doctor thinking she had an ear infection but both ears were clear), and she's not sleeping well at all.  I feel so bad for her, the poor little thing.  When we're up at midnight and 3:30am and 5:30am, I occasionally find myself wishing.  Wishing she'd hurry up and get all her teeth, wishing she'd hurry up and sleep through the night, wishing things would hurry up and get easier.  But the truth is, it's not really all that difficult.  Even with all of that going on, she still smiles more than any baby I've ever met.  Soon enough she'll have all those teeth, soon enough she'll be sleeping through the night, soon enough it will be far too easy.  Tonight, as I was putting her to bed, she cried and cried and I started up those wishes again.  But then I stopped myself, prayed for patience and that I would be the mother she needs me to be, relaxed, and enjoyed my crying baby.  We bounced, we rocked, we sang, and we did it all again until she finally gave up and went to sleep.  If tonight is anything like the last few nights have been, we won't be getting much sleep.  But I'm going to enjoy every minute I have with her before she grows up and goes to sleep on her own.  Before she grows up and has all her teeth.  Before she grows up and doesn't want to rock anymore.  I love you, Annabel.  My sweet, happy girl.