Teeth. Are they Really Worth the Hassle?

I’ve heard that some toddlers (and therefore their parents) have had it much tougher than Lola has so I’ll stop short of tempting the fates but this tooth thing is quite a challenge.It’s really surprising how painful the whole process is too. Other than by neglecting your teeth and then having to have work done on them, they are otherwise pretty tough and don’t cause much trouble in one’s lifetime. But teething is some sort of perverse coming of age ritual that, for Lola, has been the cause of fevers, a runny nose, which in turn has produced an unpleasant cough and, of course, discomfort that can border on intolerable pain.Julie has become like a sharpshooter with Orajel on the tip of her finger. It’s tricky because there are teeth in there and they are sharp. A little dab on the gum provides instant relief and then a shot of children’s Motrin provides the long lasting pain relief and fever-reducer. And, of course, her friend of friends - Patsy. Or when you’re short on Patsy, a handful of socks as demonstrated in the picture above will work in a pinch.She is getting better at using these new tools though. In the past she would swallow her food whole - ravioli, peaches, broccoli, or whatever it was on her plate. Now she crunches a breadstick or cracker like she’s been eating them for years.I’m not entirely sure how many teeth she has currently but I think we’re only half way through.