The Best I Can Do

Last week it had become clear that Piper’s colic was immensely improved. Her evening freakouts were much shorter, she started sleeping better and she was just all around a much better roommate. This week it’s become clear that she is now teething. It was the fits in mouth, intermittent fussiness throughout the whole day and the streams of drool that gave it away. And I’m reminded of something my friend Heather said to me early on about the colic: “well it will get better in a few months, but then it will just be something else.”

What this means is that I’ve given myself permission to “just do the best I can.”

For example, Ryan and I have been living off what our friend Carson refers to as “the meat patty diet.” When Ryan comes home from work, I say, “would you like a turkey burger or a hamburger with your salad?” I have a few other dishes I rotate in such as chicken stirfry, but not many. And that’s the best I can do.

Another example: the first time I gave Piper a bath alone, we didn’t use soap and I had to take my pants off. But that was the best I could do.

And last night, after reading some tips about how to handle teething, I managed to freeze two washcloths together. When I stuffed them in Piper’s mouth, she looked at me like: “Are you out of your mind, lady?” And I said back: “That’s the best I can do.”