Mr Cranky Pants

As of late Luke has been Mr. Cranky Pants.  It started about a week ago where he'd just wine for extended periods of time.  Usually when Luke starts his whining it is his way of getting our attention and for him to get what he wants usually milk or juice.  However, in the past when we've addressed his needs he goes back to his happy self.  Now the whining continues.

Last Sunday before his sisters birthday party he was getting into that unhappy mode.  I decided it might be to our benefit to give him a "shot of the funk" as we like to call it.  A quick trip up to Walgreen's for some Children's Tylenol and after giving it to him his mood improved greatly.  Maybe he is getting some more teeth that haven't poked through or he's having some headaches.  In any case it is really annoying as his only means of communicating his unhappiness is one of the most annoying sounds a child can make.

New Words, New Teeth, and New Behavior

I haven't been keeping very good track of Luke's vocabulary.  He doesn't have a few words he uses but he is a very good parrot.  Just today Mom showed me that Luke could say "diaper".  I've heard him say other words like "Fred Bird".  Most of the time he uses grunts, squeals, and points at things to get his point across.  It is surprisingly effective to boot.

One way he is using his grunting and finger pointing is at the dinner table.  As of late he has developed an opinion on what he wants to eat.  If we try to feed him something he doesn't want he will cover his eyes, mouth, and then turn his head away.  If it is something he likes he willingly opens his mouth and is quite adept and taking food off of a fork or spoon.  Sometimes it isn't the food he revolts against, instead he revolts with how we are giving it to him.  If he rejects food on a fork Mom and I will put the bit of food on the high chair and usually after a quick examination he'll pop that morsel in his mouth.

He can be a stinker at times.  If he is done eating and there is still food on his high chair he will drop bits of food over the side for Jake to eat.  Jake is pretty good about eating scraps off of the table.  He usually lays under the table and gobbles up whatever hits the floor.  After Luke is out of his high chair Jake will give it a good once over licking up any bits of food that made it into the cracks of the seat.  Sanitary? No.  Effective? Yes.

Last month Luke got tooth number 7.  Tooth number 6 showed up last January as part of a quick appearance of a lot of teeth.  Since then there has been a lot of gnawing but no teeth.  Number 8 is just about to pop out.  I figure it will be any day now.  This one seems to be giving him some trouble though.  He is really chomping on his fingers and sometimes he tries to stick his entire forearm in his mouth.  Poor guy.  Some nights and days when it is really bothering him Mom and I give him a "shot of the funk" before bedtime.  A "shot of the funk" is our term for giving him some children's Tylenol.  It is amazing how a dose of Tylenol can improve the mood of a fussy child.  It is too bad that young kids have to suffer just because they can't tell us they are in pain.

First Tooth

Luke got his first tooth on Sunday.  I found it after I gave him his pre nap bottle Sunday morning.  For the past few days he has been a bit fussy and has been gnawing on things with extra fervor.  The tooth is a lower front tooth on the left side. There isn't really much there, just a tip of the tooth is exposed.  He has others coming in soon.  Feeling around his mouth he has some soft bumps next to his new tooth and one up top in the middle.

Teeth

I think Luke is starting to get some teeth.  Today and the past few days Luke has been borderline inconsolable.  Once he wakes up he is in a good mood for about an hour after we feed him and then he gets really needy and will cry if we aren't interacting with him or picking him up.  It can be real frustrating when you have a lot of things on your plate and can't devote 100% of your time to him.  When I put him to bed tonight I think I've found what has been bothering him.  As I was rubbing his belly after laying him in his crib he grabs my finger and puts it in his mouth then proceeds to chomp down on it.  Feeling his gums I noticed a little bump where his bottom left middle tooth would be.  I think his first tooth is erupting and causing him a bit of pain.  I guess it is time to put the teething toys in the freezer and time to give him some Tylenol.  That also means we'll have to start brushing his teeth.

Is He Getting Teeth?

Taking a look at Luke's gums this weekend we are pretty sure we saw the eruption of his first tooth.  You can see it as just a little while speck underneath his gum line.  If you feel the white bump you can definitly tell that there is something hard down there.  Three months seems a bit early for a baby to be getting its teeth but infact such an occurance is normal.