First molar, at last!

After 2 weeks of restless nights, lots of aches and pains, and long days filled with challenges ... his 1st molar (right top) has finally cut through! Yay!!! I noticed it while brushing his teeth after lunch. It's the cutest little molar, well not much of a molar just yet, but it is ever so cute.

Because of the pain his teething brought he wasn't wanting to eat, which was understandable, but I started to worry that he wasn't getting all the nutrients, etc., he needs to grow just from my milk alone. But thank the Lord midway through his teething bout he started accepting cream cheese, yogurt, and jell-o. (All of which we recieve on a weekly basis through provisioning).

During this time he was very fussy and irritable throughout the day so I found myself having to find new things that would catch his interest in an attempt to distract him from his "troubles". It wasn't too hard as he loves to do projects just as long as it "involved" putting things in his mouth.

At first I cringed at the sight of everything going into his mouth mainly because it's so dusty over here and since he can walk anywhere now and get into anything I'm just not sure whether his hands and things he puts in his mouth are clean. Obviously a big deal for me.

But no matter how many times I'd say "Kenji, don't put that in your mouth". It just didn't seem to make a difference, it would be in his mouth regardless, sometimes even before I even finished the phrase. Oh well, I guess it's just a fact of teething --what's in the hand goes to the mouth. No way around it.


Well, here are some pics of his "project" times.





Supposed to be emptying and filling containers with noodles ...
















... but I think eating the uncooked noodles is a lot more fun.















Well that was good, now lets move on to the play-dough.












Kind of tastes like normal dough ...













... but just to make sure, let me get a whole handful in here.












That was a great snack, mom, thanks.








Another favorite "project" -- coloring with markers. It started "innocently" enough with of course tasting the marker.



Then he decided to "tattoo" his leg



as well as his entire foot, toes and all!



As if that wasn't enough, he decided to create a lovely drawing on the table.



And here is the aforementioned lovely painting/drawing.



Wait, let me open this marker again, I feel inspired ...



Don't look just yet, mom, ...



... hang on giving it the final touch.



And there you have it. Michaelangelo couldn't have done a better job!



Well, that's just a wee bit of what he's been doing and learning. And while a molar cut through, his teething bout is not quite over yet. Usually when he gets one new tooth another one follows shortly, about 5 - 7 days later. So do keep that as well as his health and protection in your prayers as the weather is changing over here and wouldn't want him to catch a cold.