A Sick and Teething RAH

I love my son, but while RAH is teething he is near impossible to deal with.

Don't let the curious and content expression fool you, he is a ball of discontentment inside right now.

Today was the 4th of July, we were out of town for the weekend and returned yesterday evening. The rain that greeted us when we woke this morning discouraged us from wanting to take RAH out to any parades. Plus RAH was in a pretty fussy mood.

RAH spent much of the day yelling and making a noise that is not unlike a siren. Usually he can be cranky whenever he is hungry or tired but today he was in rare form. Some of this can be attributed to a long weekend in West Virginia. There were a lot of people to dote on him and coo and pinch his cheeks. RAH would have none of it and often spurned the affections of most relatives. Unfortunately the teething was also catching up to him this weekend. He was a snot factory today and utterly despised having us wipe his nose every 5 minutes. I recall having to hold his arms in a basket hold restraint just to get a large slimy glob of mucus that was working its way down his cheek. I have learned to become okay with a variety of bodily fluids.

Today was a bad day for RAH. He made a lot of noise, and complained about the pain he was in. It was tough for him to sleep and no amount of teething tabs or Ora-gel could help him. As a bit of fatherly education we prefer the tabs to the Ora-gel, as the tabs say they are organic, sugar free, and are much easier to administer. You slide one of those little sheets on his tongue and walk away. The tabs can be found at CVS or Walgreens for around $6 and have been a life saver in our house.

Another side effect of a sick and teething RAH is that he needs constant affection. In the past this could have been taken care of by anyone over a certain height and maturity requirement. The boy didn't care, he just liked to be held. More recently, particularly today, there is only one guy who can sooth the savage RAH, and that is daddy.

RAH is telling me his troubles

RAH could not leave my side today, which pretty much meant I could not engage in any meaningful task without feeling like a complete heel. Washing dishes, only if I can do it with a baby on my hip, surfing the web, there is a yodeling baby in your ear the entire time, want to make even an inch progress on your dissertation, first contend with the 21 pounds of fuss in your lap. He worked his hardest to not give me a moments peace.

My wife tried her best to keep him with her, but he would have none of it. If I so much as went to the bathroom he would erupt into screams as though I were taking off for that mythical pack of cigarettes, to never return again. I toughed it out, holding him as much as I could, and singing him songs, and telling him it would be okay. He finally complained himself to sleep around 11:30. It was a tough road, but we got there. Even as I type this he has woken himself up at least 3 or 4 times crying, and coughing. I really feel bad for the guy, but I also need a moments peace.

this is my "nearing the end of my rope" face

And that's the joy of having a son right? I love him dearly, and seeing him in pain sucks so much, but at the same time, I want him to not NEED me so much for a moment or two, to give me a moment to check my email or write funny FB statuses or a host of other things that don't really matter in the face of his discomfort. my son, my only boy needs his daddy, and me, this guy who still watches cartoons and thinks cereal is an acceptable dinner is in charge of providing him solace.

It is a duty I do begrudgingly, but value internally. I know my wife was a little jealous that he preferred me, and I know there will come a day when he will want nothing to do with me, but today, he was my rode dog, where I went he went, and when he didn't he sounded an alarm to let me know how necessary I was. each cry irritated that little part of my brain that knew something valuable to me was hurting, and that I was charged with alleviating that pain. Days like today will live in infamy in my heart, because for all the frustration of not being left alone there is also a benefit to being vital to another human being. A being that carries my genetic legacy as well as my thoughts and prayers. I think of myself as such an individual, and that as a father, I am an authority over my son, I understand a little better that being a parent means being not only a leader, but a servant as well.

Finally asleep