We have a tooth!

217 days after making her official appearance in this world, Madelyn Rae has cut her first tooth! Though I have been keeping a watchful eye on her gums (and trying to dismiss any untoward behaviors as indications of teething), the tooth was first noticed by Nara and brought to my attention via e-mail. Though obviously excited about having reached this milestone, I will admit to a surprising amount of angst at not having been the first one to notice it. I know it's silly, but it just brings out all sorts of unresolved issues I have about being a working mother. Not that I don't think that I'm a great mom (at least I hope I am!) or that I would give up my teaching career...particularly at Rashi...but this was one of those moments where I caught myself wondering if I'm making the right choices, those that I won't find myself questioning or regretting later on in life. I did feel a little better when I saw Maddy after school and noticed that her "tooth" is actually just the very top edge of a tooth. It's barely noticeable, but it's definitely there! It's the center left tooth. I keep trying to imagine what she's going to look like when her teeth come in, and doing so makes me feel a little wistful because I realize how quickly time is passing and how she's not going to be a baby forever. You don't have the opportunity to "see" time until you have a baby and witness what a month or six months can look like, and when you see how much can change so quickly it's really quite a wonder and a brilliant reminder that we need to relish in each and every moment we have! 

I am also including a video we took of Maddy "crawling" across the floor towards her toy. As you can see, her efforts are not particularly graceful but they are effective and thrilling! It's so funny to see her being so purposeful in her movements, and we are always amused by these panting noises she makes. I don't have a clue where she got that from, but it's highly entertaining!