PTS (pre/post teething syndrome)

Teething reminds me of a woman's "time of the month." Anytime I would be grumpy or hormonally out of balance as a teenager, my mom would say, "oh honey, it must be your period." When I would tell her it had just ended, or it wasn't supposed to start for another week, she would simply tell me--PMS refers to both pre and post menstrual syndrome. After stopping to think about it, I would laugh. If that were true a woman had an excuse to be grumpy and out of sorts for 3 out of 4 weeks in a month.

Around 4 months, Jackson started showing signs of teething. Fussy, eating everything and drooling everywhere. I thought he was teething, but then would wonder if he was sick also? Everyone I talked to said, "oh yes, he must be teething." By 5 months I was sure those little white pearls would poke through--since he started a pattern of waking up in the middle of the night. When people would ask me the sleep questions, I would say, "Oh, he used to do great, but now he's teething." Of course, there were no teeth to show for it. I think I was so desperate to find teeth, I was sure one was poking through at the end of November. When I pointed it out to Mark, he lovingly corrected me by showing me it was only his superior labial frenulum (the little line that attaches the lip to the upper gums)--no, he did not know that term, I had to look it up.

By the middle of December, whenever he was grumpy, people would ask "Oh, is he teething?" I would laugh and tell them he had been teething for more than half of his life--but had nothing to show for it. Amazingly, December 23rd, I let Jackson chew on my finger--like every loving mother does--and there was not just soft gums. His bottom two teeth had popped through just in time for Christmas. Oh relief! I could finally blame all his problems on teething, guilt free!!!

Of course, the only way to tell is to feel the teeth. Being hidden behind Jackson's bottom lip and at only 2 mm tall, pictures of these little guys are near impossible to come by.

Luckily we definitely have plenty of drooling proof now.

Sunday night of this week was really rough--lots of waking up, a bit of crying, and light fevers. Mark and I both were very sympathetic about those little teeth moving around. Since his behavior was a bit more dramatic than normal, I was really wondering if he was sick. Monday, he got to be with a babysitter for a couple hours while I taught music at a nearby preschool. It was rough to say the least. Absolute screaming the entire time. The babysitter likewise said "oh, those poor little teeth."

By Monday afternoon, I knew it wasn't teeth. Jackson was way congested, had little fevers and seemed to hurt all over. As far as we know it was the first time he's really gotten sick (more than a cold). Needless to say, it's been a rough few days. I mean, how's a kid supposed to eat (i.e. drink from his mom-cow) when he can't breath through his nose? That little binky is also quite the mouth plug--allowing for minimal airflow. When he breathes through his nose, I'm reminded of my cute great grandma Lela who used to sound like a stuffed up bear when she would breathe. He seems to do a lot of talking--I think he's figured out he doesn't have to do much nose breathing when he blabbles on.

My little nurses station is set up next to my rocking chair: nose saline, Baby Tylenol, a bulb syringe and the arm pit thermometer (replacing that cursed rectal thermometer). All of which he hates, and all of which don't seem to work well (except the Tylenol).

So much for blaming all his woes on PTS!