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Last week, Mira was inconsolable. While she's often grumpy, last week went beyond her normal demands for attention as she cried and fussed unless she was being held at all times. What little parenting expertise I have told me that this was a new tooth working its way out. In the weeks prior, she was drooling more and chomping down on anything soft yet solid in addition to her regular attempts at eating paper and carpet fuzz. And then, the day after Valentine's Day, the first glimpse of a new white tooth appeared on her upper gums.

It's about time. I was wondering how much longer it would take for this third tooth to find a way out into the world. It came as a bit of a shock when I felt a razor sharp edge cut into me while breastfeeding when she was four months old. I remember my disbelief when I put a finger into her mouth and felt that tiny smooth tooth poking out of her lower gums. I was even more surprised when the second tooth appeared right beside the first one a week later. I wondered if Mira was hurrying to get a full set of teeth to enjoy all the foods she felt she was missing out on? Or maybe she simply wanted to torture me during breastfeeding with the constant risk of being bitten?

But then after those first two teeth? Nothing. Four months without another tooth. Since the first two came out at nearly the same time, I was expecting more teeth shortly afterwards. A month went by with no signs of new pearly whites. Two months passed, and still no hint of enamel. Three months later, the signs of a new tooth emerged: chewing, drooling excessively, mild periods of fussiness. And finally, at eight months old, Mira has produced another tooth.

I find it strange that there seems to be no rhyme or reason when it comes to tooth eruption. They seem to show up whenever they feel like it, and it isn't the same between siblings. While Mira had her first at four months, Cordy didn't cut the first tooth until she was nearly nine months old. Cordy made up for lost time by quickly getting all of her teeth in rapid succession, often with two or three coming in all at once. I'm not sure if Mira's teeth will follow the same pattern, but at this point I doubt it.

I do know that I'm glad she's now weaned. Watching the way she chews on the bottle nipple, trying to relieve the discomfort from her gums, makes me appreciate that I can no longer serve as a teething toy, other than the occasional stray bite to my finger. Of course, I have to admit being a little sad - those two little bottom teeth looked awfully cute when she smiled. But I'm also glad that the extra crying and fussing are gone with the new tooth. Well, until the next tooth comes along, of course.