An Important Day

The closest thing I’ve seen to the breakthrough of baby’s largest tooth today was her own arrival on earth one year, one month, and nineteen days ago. As on that day, today there was much screaming, interspersed by attempts at comfort and comfort refused. As on that day, it was clear that something major was about to happen, that this thing had to happen, and that it would change the world by happening. You can believe that one more baby getting one more tooth is no big deal, but you weren’t with the two of us today. After administering homeopathic medicine and Baby Tylenol, I managed to get my finger in baby’s mouth and felt the newly exposed tooth. It had come through the side of her gum, rather than the bottom, and felt like a small piece of sharp-sided granite. She let me leave my finger over the sore gum and nub of tooth, and clamped down her jaw firmly but not painfully. We stayed that way for a good five minutes, with her breathing heavily but increasingly regularly, and me murmuring prayers on her behalf, honored to be her dad on an important day.