so hard

When Aiden gets fussy/overtired/gassy, J and I both find ourselves saying, "Oh poor AB, it's so haaard to be a baby, i know, it's ok..." It calms him to hear our voices, but it doesn't fix it. There are some things that are just sort of hard. Like a growing community of bacteria in his tummy that likes to work in overdrive... or a congested cough picked up from daycare... or mommy's least favorite: bloody ear. During Aiden's only real ear infection a couple months ago, he had something pop creating a big pool of blood in his ear right in front of me... while he giggled and cooed at me. A couple weeks later he had dried up blood in the same pooling area of his ear. I heard a friend's voice in my head saying, "This too will pass" as I called the doctor. That time he was completely free from ear trouble and they thought it might have been that he had a scratch on his ear. Seemed strange with that volume of dried blood and no noticeable scratch (and his nails are paper thin and trimmed)... Well, there was dried blood again yesterday and this time it was less than before and I remained calm... I washed it away to find a tiny little poke on that tender skin from all his ear grabbing. Phew, I was relieved... and I realized how far I've come when it comes to seeing my kid sick in some way. The first time I panicked, the next time I braced myself, and this time I took it in stride. He's home with me today because his tummy troubles aren't letting him get good rest, and I want to be sure his cold doesn't move into his ears. It's nothing a little cuddling can't cure! (and just to be sure we got him cleared at the doctor - He's a healthy 19lbs 2 oz in the 75th, which is good to know since we won't be in for his 6 month appointment until the 15th)