The Pain Of It All

Today is the day. Yep, today is the first official day of marathon training. No more excuses...no more procrastinating...only three months until the big run. It's a considerable commitment but with my desire to do the stupid, the little munchkin makes the bigger sacrifice. It means countless hours of sitting and watching the world go by from the confinement of the stroller, strapped in and all.

In an attempt to be sympathetic to the needs of the child, I gear up with snacks, sippy cup, toys, etc. Rice cakes work great to keep her occupied for a chunk of the time while providing a scant amount of nutrition. Inevitably I end up stopping mid-stride several times to collect flying debris from the front seat, most commonly, shoes, socks, and sippy cup. She must have sensed the struggle from the driver of the stroller today, or possibly heard the panting, because she really came through with the affirmations. It was "You look great" and "Awesome" for 42 minutes. It seems I subconsciously chose the toy that repeats one of three phrases or plays a musical interlude when the button is pressed and the munchkin played along.

The little one is starting to do a little more playing and a little less crying today. It's been a rough couple weeks with this teething business. Judging by the volume and frequency of the cries in the house lately, it hurts. It's been fevers, middle of the night choking/coughing fits and constant whining for too long. I feel for her and thankfully we have successfully completed all four canine tooth eruptions at once. Just the 2 year molars remaining, for awhile at least. At a family 6th birthday party this weekend, a mom kindly informed me that there are the 6 year molars. Oh for goodness sake, when will it end! Teething bites.

It's all part of growing up. In some ways, I feel a greater purpose during the trying times. When the pain and discomfort are too much to handle the little one really wants her Mommy. I pick her up, hold her in my arms and rock her until she falls asleep. I lay her in her crib and camp out on the floor next to her bed until the next coughing attack and repeat the same. It's what parents do.