Break through

You guys, it finally happened! After weeks (or maybe months?) of drooling, gnawing and gnashing, sleepless nights and helpless cries, Akira finally cut a tooth! That’s right—a single, tiny first tooth has broken through his lower gums, and we are all in a much happier place and can resume life as we all know it.
It’s really cute, his tooth. And it’s cute because while it isn’t quite visible to the naked eye just yet, it is definitely there and can be felt when I rub my finger along his gums. It looks like he finally has some of that sweet relief he (and, let’s be real, everyone in our house) desperately wanted and needed. But what surprised me about his first tooth wasn’t so much that it happened already. Rather, I felt a little bittersweet about the whole thing. Weird, right?
Like I mentioned in a previous post, his teething woes were no joke. Although I know that this is just the first of many hiccups we will encounter when it comes to his growth and development, the fact is that this kid is continually growing. The first tooth is just the beginning of many firsts he will have in his life. That realization and acknowledgment that he is only growing up from here on out is what feels so bittersweet.
It’s a strange feeling to have. On one hand, I’m so looking forward to having him be more independent and mobile. I’m excited about being able to have conversations with him and hold his hand while we walk across the street together. On the other, I sometimes wish I could keep him small for as long as possible. He needs me so much. I am quite literally his source of food. The fact that he’s still so portable and that I can carry or wear him around is something I savor so much because I know it’s fleeting. C’est la vie. Such is life. Babies will turn into kids who turn into grown-ups. And then maybe one day they’ll have babies of their own. But I digress.
Now that Akira has a single tooth, it seems as though he’s also taken on more of an interest in actual food. So far, he’s tried mashed bananas, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, avocado, carrots and okayu (Japanese rice porridge). It makes me happy to see him enjoy eating as much as I hoped he would. It may sound silly but one of the fears I had about having kids was that they would turn out to be picky eaters. Anaïs has proven that she will try anything once and so far has been an incredibly adventurous food lover. I am keeping my fingers crossed that Akira shares her same sentiments!
This is the week that Akira is officially six months old. It has gone by too fast! And I know that the next six months will fly by, too. While time seems to be going by much quicker this time around than it ever did before, it’s pretty incredible to watch these kids grow up. The best is yet to come.