Who Pays the Tooth Fairy?

The tooth fairy has a pretty sick sense of humour. Ethan is getting a bunch of teeth, all at once.

His bottom front teeth came in over a 3 week period (not counting the 4 months of "teething" in preparation of them breaking through). It was pretty horrible in the house for a few days at a time when they were cutting through the gums. Then he started smiling again, playing with toys and sleeping at night. Not too bad.

But on Monday, after a horrible weekend of not napping, I realized that his 3rd and 4th teeth came in on top (not the middle ones though). So Ethan could go as a vampire this Halloween! To relieve pressure, he even does the Vampire bite on your neck if he hold him the right way.

Now he won't let me look in his mouth to see what's going on in there... The top Vampire teeth are cut, but haven't "come in" and definitely hurt. Last time he let me look, his gums were very swollen on the bottom, the 5th and 6th teeth are obviously on their way. And I'm pretty sure that maybe even 2 more are coming in on top now. (8! Could he really have 8 teeth all of a sudden!?!)

So for the past 2 nights, I have been on the couch with him. Tylenol and Ambisol have little effect anymore. (I guess, with all that happening at the same time) When his pacifier comes out, he starts to yell, and when he's sleeping it falls out about every 20 minutes.

My poor baby. He's pretty sad right now, but maybe when all these teeth come in, we can get a bit of a break from teething for a few months.

Hopefully they don't fall out all at the same time. I'll be broke! I mean the tooth fairy will be broke. How much does a tooth run at right now? And with inflation over the next 6 years. Forget retirement! We need to start putting away for teeth!

What Does Elmo Have That I Don’t?

My baby loves Elmo.  Ethan loves Elmo so much that he will de-latch while eating when he hears the Elmo’s World song come on the TV.  He will push away from me and roll to watch the 20 minute show.  And he loves to eat! 

It all started when Grandma and Grandpa dropped off a Tickle-Me Elmo doll a couple months ago.  Ethan loves when Elmo laughs….  He’ll put the big huge eyes in his mouth as Elmo vibrates.  I think it feels good on the teeth.  (He now has 4!  Two more appeared yesterday!)

Now he makes out with Elmo all the time.

He also loves the Huggies commercial, and will de-latch for that as well.  You know, the one with the guy in the red and white running shoes chasing the giggling baby.  I think he’s imagining running away from Daddy in the park next year.

The Man of My Dreams

I dreamt about bears last night.  Not cute cuddly cartoon bears.  I’m talking about the big, brown scary ones.  But the bears weren’t that scary.  They were just there.  I can’t remember anything else about my dream, but that’s ok. 

Non-threatening bears were better than the Nazi-zombies I dreamt about the night before, thanks to Ryan and friends completing Call of Duty, War of Worlds and finding the hidden level.

Back to the bears, they were kind of growling, a low constant growl.  And then Ethan woke me up with screams of “Mommy I’m hungry!” at 4am.  I know that he can sleep through the night, even though he’s breastfed.  He started sleeping through the night at 2 months…  so many months ago, and stopped at 3 months when teething began.  How many mothers have seriously considered a bottle of formula right before bed and Mom’s Milk the rest of the time?  Not tonight, carry on Mom, don’t cut any corners or I’ll wake up as soon as you crawl back into bed and demand more.

I took the boy out to the living room to top up his tummy, sat down on the couch and turned on Much More Music.  It amazes me that I watch more music videos during night-time feedings than I do during my days at home in front of the TV.  Mind you, music video stations play music videos all through the night, and just junk-shows during the day.

So for half an hour, that is what we did.  Ethan ate and I watched Nickelback videos from 2002 (wow!  Chad Kroeger really needed a haircut) and new Michael Buble looking for the woman of his dreams in a grocery store.  I’m right here Michael!  *just kidding Ryan, you’re definitely cuter than him*. 

And as I put Ethan back in his crib, a heard a familiar sound.  The constant low growl from my dreams.  The bear.  And there he was, sprawled out on our King-size bed, sleeping on his back, which causes him to snore.  At least the night-feedings aren’t keeping him up.

Balancing Act

 

Come on Reese!   It’s easy!  

Ryan spent a long time training Reese how to balance a Kong on her head.  Whenever someone asks me “What do you do at home all day?”  I’m going to say I taught my son how to balance rings on his head.  And it was hard work!

Just Like Daddy

I was trying to get a picture of Ethan's new tooth, and he didn't want to cooperate. I just got a whole lot of attitude. All I can see is Ryan when I look at this picture.

Christmas is Coming!

I'm not normally this person, however.... It's officially 66 sleeps until Christmas! For all of us new Moms out there, you can probably double or maybe even triple that count, cause I know your baby wakes you up just as you fall back to sleep at night. OK... it's 66 nights until Christmas, sleepless or otherwise.

Christmas has never really held much excitement for me. How horrible. I guess I spend too much time worrying about what presents to get people, and how to include everyone that we love on December 25th.

We've had our share of funny moments around that time year. Reese chasing a ball that was accidentally thrown into the Christmas tree. You could see the look of terror in her eyes as she turned to run before the tree collapsed on her, ears back and body low to the ground, toe-nails trying to grip the tile floor. Glass decorations fell to the floor like bombs around her fleeing body. If it was caught on tape, I know that we would be $10,000 richer now, thanks to a popular funny video TV show.
We know nothing chocolate can go under the tree until the morning of, cause Pitunia will sniff it out and it will be no-more.
One year Ryan went on the ice-covered steep-pitched roof to put up the Christmas lights in the freezing cold because he was tired of my requests for twinkling. (I don't nag, I request over and over again until you get the hint) My brother held the rope that was tied around Ryan's waist for safety reasons, but as I said, the roof was steep and covered with ice. You can guess how that story ends.

But I think this year will be a little more exciting for me. Our baby will be 9 months old, maybe even walking if he has his way. And we'll spend our first Christmas as parents.

How exciting to wrap the presents and watch as baby tears them apart only to play with the paper and boxes that toys came in... How exciting to share with our parents a first Christmas as Grandparents.

I'm excited already. And wondering if it's wrong to put up your tree before Halloween. I think Ryan should at least attempt Christmas lights before the ice comes.

Avoiding a Bump on the Head

I've become a creature of habit since Ethan was born. I read somewhere in my Mommy-books that babies love structure and have done my best to become more structured for the good of my son.

In the morning he wakes up, latches on for breakfast, gets a new diaper and changes into "daytime" clothes. (I can't wear my PJs all day, so neither can he.) Then we make our way out to the livingroom for some tummy time.

Ethan hasn't always been a fan of tummy time, but the Mommy-books told me that it was important too. So every morning I spread out a blanket on our beautiful laminate flooring and plop my baby on his belly with a few of his favorite toys.

Ryan and I purchased our home when I was 1 month pregnant. We loved the laminate floor throughout the house. We grew up in the generation of horrible carpeting. You know the time. Picture it... short, red, with paisleys on it, or the green shag, Ugh! Yeah, we loved the laminate. However the flooring has created a fear in me for my baby.

Baby's have small, tender heads. Early on, they can't handle a bang on the beautiful, easy to clean floor. Ethan is 6 and 1/2 months old and has been rolling around for over a month now. But every morning I put him on a soft cushy blanket for tummy time. I go into the kitchen to get my breakfast and rush back when I peer over to see him teetering on the edge of the blanket, small tender head so close to hitting the fake hardwood. I know that he can handle the bump, he's done it enough now. But something keeps me coming back to protect the soft spot on the back of his precious melon. As soon as I go back to the kitchen to get my coffee he throws all of his toys off the blanket with the intent of rolling to get them.

Ethan knows that rolling requires the occasional bump on the head. You can tell he knows by the squint of his eyes as he leans over to roll. He's a go-getter. He knows leaving the safety of the blanket is going to hurt sometimes and he's ready for it. All babies do it, that's how they get what they need. Putting themselves out there, trying, knowing that it'll hurt sometimes. We could learn something from them. Imagine if we were never afraid to leave the comfort of the blanket.

Think Pink

So you know that you're going to buy at least one calendar this winter. Whether it's for your Mom for Christmas or for your own house to keep track of all of the important things, like doctor's appointments, birthdays and days you promised to give blood.

You could go to that place in the Mall that appears at this time of year with a calendar for everyone. Puppies, Motorcycles, Funny cartoon characters, your favorite Celebrity, Chickens. They really do have a calendar for everyone. You can buy that calendar, supporting the company that makes it, getting rich putting pictures on days that have been determined since the calendar was created. Or you buy a calendar for a good cause.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It seems that we all know someone who's been touch by it. A local photographer is doing her part to raise awareness and funds for research. Proceeds from this tasteful Black and White spread are going to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. So check it out. Everyone needs a calendar.

www.pinkforthecure.ca

In The Beginning

There was Man and Wife... Then they added a couple dogs, and finally a baby. Then the baby got a tooth, no one slept through the night, a Wal-mart worker asked the Wife if she was sick (I must look horrible!) and the dogs decided to bark at everyone who walked down the street.

This is our life. It's a good life, though it has its challenges. But life is pretty good.