Teething Bites

I spoke too soon. I should know better. Like the time I bragged on Jynx about how he NEVER got on the counters- and since that day I can't keep him OFF the counters. But, apparently, I did not learn my lesson. What did I do? I said Punky's teething hadn't been too bad. Lots of drool and gnawing. Two days of yucky diapers- though maybe that was the green beans and not the teething... Then two little teeth popped through. No problem. Right? Wrong. Since those two little teeth popped through, we've had more restless night and false SIDS alarms than ever before. (We have one of those "fancy" monitors that detects baby's movements and sets off an obnoxious alarm when no movement is detected. Great idea and I am glad we chose it, but on those restless nights when Punky ends up squished in the corner of her crib the sensor can't tell she's still breathing.)

Last night she set off the alarm three times. We took turns getting up to move her back to the middle of the bed. Then she decided she was cold, lonely, had a bad dream, who knows. So I went and rocked her for a while and she fell asleep snuggled against me. I put her back in her crib and she starts whimpering. There is no other way to describe it, it was whimpering. I head back to bed convinced she'll roll over, stick her thumb in her mouth and be back in dreamland in no time. But of course that is wishful thinking. This time the huz gets up with her. A rare thing in the middle of the night. Most nocturnal happenings tend to fall on me, just the way it is. I just checked on them with the intent to take over and they were stretched out on the floor of Punky's room snoozing away. I decided to leave them be. Daddy may be a bit stiff and sore at work, but it was going to be less disruptive than moving either of them.

The huz asked me "what's her deal?" I wish I knew! But my guess is that we spoke too soon about the teething we thought was going so smoothly. All I do know is that it has been a rough couple weeks and I think we are both feeling a little zombie-like. But unlike those first few weeks of endlessness nighttime feedings, we feel a little more established and prepared as parents. We know our limits and when we really need the other to take over for a bit. We know, this too will end. And someday we will sleep again. In the meantime, we try to cut each other a little slack. It's all too easy to say harsh words when exhaustion has set it. So cut us some slack, we are cutting teeth here!