I'll be Glad When...

Austen's teething is over. My kid, that was for the most part such an angel and an easy baby, really struggles with the teething thing. His typical pattern when he is teething is to wake up multiple times in the middle of the night - crying out like someone is hurting him! That means that there are multiple moments of interrupted sleep during the night and they could be consecutive nights in a row! Not fun when we have to wake up and be alert for work the next day!

Okay, so maybe I had it easy because Austen started sleeping through the night at 9 1/2 weeks - almost three weeks before I even had to go back to work! But, the long-drawn out teething process is really starting to get old. Mostly because my little guy is in such pain and tries to jam his fingers as far back in his mouth as he can get them and he's just miserable. I try not to give him Motrin or Tylenol because for me personally, I just don't take medication unless I'm seriously sick but I have been resorting to giving him some to relieve the pain. He needs it, poor little guy.

The good news is that his 18 month check up this week his doctor said after this he should be done for a little while - at least until the two-year molars. Can't wait for those. Austen gained 2 pounds (26 lbs. total) and grew 2 1/2 inches. He remains in the 50th percentile for weight and has moved from the 50th percentile in height to the 75th percentile. We knew he grew because now he can actually reach our door knobs and let himself into rooms or out of the house (good thing we keep the dead bolts on!).

We can't believe he'll be 18 months old in a week. We still watch him sleep at night and marvel just how big he's gotten and that he's ours.

Photo: Austen and his Szurgot cousins, Brooke(6) and Matthew (3)