A Gummy Week

Miss Em has been a bit unlike herself this week. That is to say she has been a bit out of sorts off and on and for good reason - she has 3, possibly 4, molars coming in! My normally very happy-go-lucky, go with the flow, smiley baby girl has sadly been seen like this a few times this week:

Tuesday morning I knew something was amiss when I dropped her off in the nursery at Mom's Group and her face immediately crumbled and she began to cry while reaching back for me. Those are some of the hardest moments to walk away from my babies and yet I know that the fastest exit is really the best, rather than a long, drawn out, trying to console - while still trying to leave type of exit. My small group was in childcare this week and the nursery director asked me to be a buddy for a down syndrome girl in the 3/4 yr. old class. I ran to the ladies room for a moment and peeked back in Em's room before heading to the 3/4 yr. old class and Miss Em appeared to be doing much better, busy playing on the floor with some friends. After about an hour hanging out with my new little friend, I ran to the ladies room again and heard a familiar sounding cry. When I popped my head in Miss Em's class I could see she was distraught again so I quickly ran back to the 3/4 class and told the nursery director I was needed back with my daughter. I spent the rest of the morning in Em's class and she was a SUPER happy girl. Pulling herself up to standing holding on the ballet bar and seeing herself in the mirror was a particular highlight of her morning, I really wish I would have had my camera to capture the pride and joy that came from her accomplishment and reflection in the mirror. Was I seeing a glimpse of the future holding onto that ballet bar?

I didn't need to nurse or hold her, she had fun crawling and pulling up all over the room, but it was like as long as she could see me then she was happy. If I tried to stand up or even appeared to possibly be leaving then her face would start to crumble and we'd have a few moments of her "silent cry" until she realized I was still there. Then it was but a few seconds until she came back around to this face and all was right with the world once again:

With her new 4th bottom tooth and the 3 molars coming in, that puts her teeth count up to 11 and maybe 12 if that 4th molar pokes through soon. In celebration of all of these new pearly whites (and aching gums), I decided it was time to give Miss Em her first large slice of apple and she took to it with much delight (and many more slices):