"Owie!"

We've been hearing that word a lot this week. It seems that our little one is really struggling with teething right now. His gums are so very swollen, and he's feverish and sad, which in turn makes the rest of us so sad. Oh, and tired. Poor little guy can't sleep. So neither can Mama and Daddy.

Every child is so different, and the learning curve of parenthood is so steep. Despite our little guy's generally mellow temperament (in contrast to his big sister's very intense temperament), this is our first experience with difficult teething. Elisabeth's teeth seemed to just appear as if by magic. No one ever knew she was teething. And by 12 months old, she had a full mouth of teeth. But with this little boy ... each tooth has been so very difficult. We have gone through tubes of teething gel and bottles of teething tabs, and his trusty amber necklace has been his constant companion for the last 11 months. Not to mention cool wash cloths, an amber-studded teething ring, rescue remedy, lavender oil (one description here -- it shouldn't be used directly on the gums or taken internally) ... And still, teething just plain hurts. It is so hard to be a mama and to look into the eyes of your hurting wee one with no solution to offer.

OK, only 8 oops, I meant 10 more teeth to go. Be brave, little buddy. We will offer you all the comfort we can give.

PS: More on the benefits of amber to teething babies and toddlers here & here.