Teething Hurts

My poor little peanut is teething worse than ever this week. Nothing seems to be helping these two teeth that are coming in. I finally gave the poor girl a huge raw carrot, and she gnawed on it forever. Poor livy-lou! I only wish that I knew what this pain feels like...I can't imagine it. I've tried everything from homeopathy to conventional, but shes still seems to be in alot of pain. These are the hardest two for her...I can't even imagine how bad the molars are going to be.
Other than the teething pain Olivia is doing very well. We had her 12 month check up this week, and she now weighs 24lbs and is 29 inches tall. Dr. Khaneja reminded Dave and I how far we've all come as a family this passed year. She pointed to some earlier chart notes about colic, her nap strike which lasted 3 months, gas, fussiness, breastfeeding issues, and did I mention her nap strike which lasted 3 months. haha Its amazing that just 6 months ago I had called Dr K in tears becuase Olivia wasn't napping and I thought my breast milk was doing her more harm than good. She had the worse gas on planet earth, and needed to be jostled and jiggled from 5pm until about 10pm. Dave and I were exhausted. She was never calm, and always seemed to have some discomfort. All of the sudden at 7 months I had this completely wonderful baby who took naps and seemed very content. Of course Olivia was happy in her earlier months, but she had colic until 6-7 months. And of course to add insult to injury, the only people that I seemed to know had children who never had colic, and also took long naps, so I thought that I was really screwing up. But guess what...that must be what being a 1st time mom is all about. For my second child I'll probably feel alittle more at ease, and feel a peace in knowing that these things usually work themselves out, and then as the wind blows so comes another new and exciting parenting challenge. :) But as I'm seeing with my dear friend Jenn...new moms need support, so even if you're child was perfect, please don't brag to the new exhausted mother. Just nod your head and offer her symphathy for her sleep deprived state. I used to see it all the time at the baby group. Some poor new mom will be there exhausted and seeking support, and some veteran mom will say, "Well I was so lucky because Stella slept through the nite from the minute she was born, and started walking at 4 months, and never had a food allergy, and yada yada yada." I see every opportunity with a tired new mom as a chance to bond as women since our lives as parents aren't exactly easy. We all can relate to parenting issues on some level.

Having said that, I'm so happy that Dave, me, and Olivia surivived and thrived during her 1st year of life. And as the Navy Seals say, "The only easy day was yesterday!" lol Whats to come over this next year?