Oh Teeth, Where Art Thou???

This post was originally going to be titled "Adventures in Solid Food, Teething, & Cloth Diapers" but after the evening I've had, I'm not sure I'm up to all of it. I think I will save the solid-food-and-cloth-diaper stories for later...

It is 9:00 on a Saturday night and I am home, alone (Paul is on shift), with an angry, teething baby who has been up since approximately 5:00 this morning with a cumulative nap total of only about 2-2.5 hours for the day. He is currently asleep (I think) as of about 10 minutes ago after about an hour of screaming in pain. He has screamed off and on all day long, and none of the usual tricks have worked to calm him down. He doesn't want to be held/cuddled, he doesn't want his pacifier or any of his chew toys, he doesn't want his swing or his stroller, and eating only distracts him for a short while before he starts in crying and gnawing his fingers again. The drool is out of control and he's got a runny nose/watery eyes and a very low-grade fever. All rather common symptoms of teething. Oh, and we can see two of his bottom teeth very near the surface of his gums.

I knew this was coming eventually. I've heard stories from other moms. I've been warned. But I just really didn't want to be at home alone with him when it got bad. Paul has been working a lot lately - extra shifts in addition to his regular schedule. We can use the extra money, so that's great. But I'm exhausted and frustrated and kind of want to just cry with Nathan. It's just the most pitiful, painful, miserable sound he makes. It makes me want to reach in there with pliers or something and pull those suckers through for him!

But of course I can't and I won't. So instead, I've offered him every type of texture/temperature I can think of to chew on (he actually doesn't like the cold ones at all). I've tried Orajel (hasn't worked). I made a last minute run to Walgreens this evening to purchase teething tabs (a homeopathic remedy) that my best friend recommended, and actually tore open the box to give him the first dose right there in the parking lot. I've nursed him and rubbed his back and rocked him. And eventually, I had to just sit on the couch (self-medicating with Haagen Dazs salted caramel truffle ice cream) and listen while he cried himself to sleep.

Worst. Night. Ever. So far... Please, please, please let me wake up tomorrow to see a tiny little tooth poking out. Everyone says the first one is the worst, and that it gets better once it's through the gums. I just can't stand to see and hear him in such pain :(