Teething is a bitch. Not that I remember it. But it's now clear that Gavin's recent grumpiness and overall sleep interruptedness and runny nose is probably due to the two new chompers he has slicing through his gums. They're cuspids, or canine teeth or eyeteeth or whatever you want to call them. I don't know why teething didn't occur to me sooner. I thought he was getting sick. And anyway, he already has four teeth and I've gotten so used to those that I guess I kind of forgot that he wasn't, you know, done. I'm sure he wishes he was done, but I am glad he isn't for his future's sake. The future Gavin who doesn't want to look like a meth-head. It is, I think, what all mothers wish for their sons.
Today felt extraordinarily long. This was due in large part to Gavin's feeling crummy. He was very clingy and demanding all day, except I could not figure out what he wanted. Playing by himself for longer than 30 seconds at a time was out of the question. He'd grab onto my pant legs and pull himself up and whine, I'd pick him up and he'd try to heave his body out of my arms toward some toy on the floor. So I'd put him down. Tears. I sat down on the floor to play with him, he pulled himself up to standing using my shoulder and flung himself toward me. I picked him up. Temporary satisfaction. Then more whining. I put him down. Cue tears again. And on and on to infinity. (Okay, not to infinity because he's asleep now and demanding nothing of me right now.)
He also has a couple of little wounds on his face. A small bruise on his cheek and a tiny scab on his forehead. Learning how to be mobile is dangerous stuff. No wonder you can buy baby's knee pads and helmets. Or you could always get one of these.
Even Lisa and Brenden coming over in the afternoon wasn't much of a distraction for Gavin. Brenden for some reason likes to smack Gavin on the head. He did this on the first day Gavin and Brenden met and Gavin was largely unfazed. Today, however, Gavin's skin was much thinner and Brenden's roughhousing made Gavin cry. More than once. Lisa doesn't know why Brenden likes to smack Gavin around so much. It is probably all of the violent baby video games he plays.
Lisa and Brenden leave to go back to California on Sunday. This will be very heartbreaking. I mean, it's always sucked that Lisa lives so far away, but it sucks much worse now that we both have kids. Lisa, who I usually see twice a year, doesn't change drastically from visit to visit. Brenden, on the other hand, will be a whole new person with new tricks the next time I see him. Gavin, too. Alas. This is a big reason why it's so important to me to get photos of Gavin every day and post them on Facebook. So Lisa can watch him grow. And his Aunt Christine in Boston. And his Uncle Brian in Arizona. And his Granny Marilyn and Great Aunt Carol and Great Grandma Ina in Florida. And Amanda in Florida. And Stacy's friends in Washington D.C. He's got a national fan club going (for awhile it was international as Christine was in Venezuela). And, hey, I like looking at photos of my handsome son, too. Especially when he's crabby. All I have to do is look at a photo of my smiling man to remember, "Hey, he isn't always like this." But, of course, nothing beats the real thing.
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