Tooth Or No Tooth?

Again, I ask you. Where does the time go?!

There are a few things that I've noticed recently. One is that everyday, the progress of Iaine's eye contact development is getting better. She's more responsive to her surroundings. It amazes me how babies can be so happy over the simplest things even if they've seen it God-knows-how-many times already. Now she's more interested in her musical mobile and loves having conversations with people too. She has mastered how to "coo back" which makes every morning beautiful and happy. Sometimes I ask myself what goodness I have done in my life to deserve such a wonderful child.

Iaine is also "drooling" more than usual. Sometimes I think she spits up her formula but I would be wrong and discover that it's actually saliva that's trailing down from the corner of her mouth. So could this be it?

Could she be teething?!

Wow! Another developmental milestone could be fast approaching!

But isn't it too early for teething? She's barely 3 months old and from what I learned, babies usually start around 4 months. So today I did a little research and I was actually surprised about what I learned. Some babies are actually "born" with teeth!

Anyway, if Iaine really is starting to cut teeth then I'm glad I bought this yesterday:

It's the Bright Starts Chill and Teethe for babies 0 months onwards. They're BPA-free plastic teethers filled with purified water. I chose these over others because they're smaller--makes them easier to grasp and put inside the mouth to be chewed on.

I introduced one to Iaine today after I chilled them in the fridge overnight. Because she still hasn't fully developed hand to mouth coordination, I put a teether in her hand and assisted her in putting it into her mouth. Immediately she sucked and gnawed on it! I got so excited and laughed. And then I thought This is great! She needs to suck on something else other than her hands... Because Iaine has also started thumbsucking.

And I hate thumbsucking. The first time I saw her do it I laughed out loud because it looked so cute and I was so happy that Iaine finally found her hands. But I still hate it.

I've tried giving her pacifiers because I thought they would work (Iaine has more than 1), but she just outgrew them too fast. Aside from her feeding bottles, I guess a teether is the only alternate solution to satisfy her oral-phase needs.

I have a little cousin who's 4 years old and she used to have calluses on her two middle fingers from sucking on them for years. Calluses on my own little Cheeky's hands? No way! Iaine has yet to fully learn how to do this nasty habit, and this is good because it would be easier to keep her from doing it. When she tries to slip one finger in her mouth it just slides back out so she ends up sucking and licking her knuckles and gets spit all over her hand and face. I pull her hand out and immediately wipe off all the drool. Nasty nasty.

And by the way if you wanna hear about head lifting--she has mastered the skill! Pretty soon we don't have to support her head anymore. Ah, she's getting so big.

I'm keeping a close eye on more developmental milestones to come. My husband and I are so excited about all this. Iaine is at this stage where she's growing up in front of our eyes and learning so much already. She never fails to amaze us.

I wanna be with her all the way as she grows up. I just wish things won't happen too fast. I'll miss her when she starts running off to play with her friends and when she's in school all day. But babies grow up into toddlers, toddlers into gradeschoolers, gradeschoolers into teens, teens into college kids... Wait, what am I saying?

I'm not even sure if she's really starting to cut teeth! LMAO