Something I Can Really Sink My Teeth Into

Jonah now has two upper teeth coming in in addition to the two bottom ones he already has. I think they've been giving him some pain during the past several days because he's been just a touch on the fussy side and not sleeping all that well at night. We gave him a dose of infant Tylenol tonight to see if that will help him sleep a bit better. Here's hoping because I could use the rest!

On a funnier note, Jonah has done something incredibly funny a couple of times over the past week. With the discovery of his teeth, he has develped a taste for just about anything he can get to his mouth and bite on (Mommy and Daddy's fingers are especially tasty, apparently), including my leg. He will occasionally just bend over and chomp down on a particularly juicy-looking portion of leg. Sometimes when he executes this move, he emits something that sounds like a snarl! I either have a very carniverous baby on my hands or he's leaning towards cannibalism. I hope it's the former! :)

Are these all for me?! 

C'mon, Mommy, can't I open just one of these?! 

Who says you have to wait until Christmas?! Mommy and Daddy let me open just one! Yay! 

Still on the verge of crawling 

Hm, I hope it fits! 

I'm all bundled up because it's cold outside, but Daddy says I look like a demented Easter bunny. Bah, humbug to him! Nana, if you read this, could you make sure he gets a lump of coal in his stocking! :) 

My first sonw! 

Okay, Mom, if you're going to throw me in with the laundry, just make sure you put me on the delicate cycle! 

Question to Other Moms Who Have or Have Had Small Children

How easy is it to be an effective parent when you're exhausted or sick?

I'm just curious to get other people's opinion on this because I have a husband who apparently thinks that being utterly exhausted or sick and trying to take care of a small child is the same as being in the same situation and going to work, and I heartily disagree. I mean, is there anyone else out there who feels that, when you're the main caregiver of a small child, even if you're going to bed at 10 or 11 and getting up at 7 or so, if you're getting up in the night to take care of a little one or simply to check on him/her, you're really only effectively getting around five to six hours of real sleep, if that. And getting less sleep than that on a regular basis would not be a good thing because then you're almost too tired to take care of what your little one needs and deserves from you, and, unlike work, you can't just set your child aside for a little while and say,"I'm not dealing with you right now." Someone would call child protective services on you, I would think. There are no personal days off when you're a full- or near full-time parent with no one to help during the day. The same is true when you're sick and need extra rest.

Am I far wrong on this? Please feel free to pass this question on to other moms and get back to me with their responses.