Anna + molars = devil child

By K.J. Cardinal

On Friday, Angie took Anna to the doctor's because we thought she might have an ear infection. Thankfully, Dr. McCartney assured us she didn't have an ear infection, but she did confirm that Anna is about to cut a few molars.

So, we were glad that Anna was healthy and that her apparent irritation was just part of her natural growth. But, what we didn't realize was that the cutting of a molar was going to turn Anna into a devil child.

Seriously. Ninety-five percent of the time, we couldn't ask for a better little girl, but the five percent of the time when Anna acts up it's as if she's possessed by the devil.

This was never more evident then yesterday afternoon...definitely my hardest day as a work-at-home dad. Anna was in total freak-out mode for about two-straight hours and I tried everything to soothe her, short of tossing her down the basement stairs or holding her head underwater for a few minutes.

Obviously I would never do either of those things and don't go calling social services on me, but dealing with an inconsolable baby has got to be the most frustrating thing in the world. It was as if the harder I tried to console Anna, the louder she'd cry. It was terrible.

The only reason why Anna isn't still crying is because of a chicken bone. During Anna's tirade, I threw in the towel for a few minutes and decided to make myself a little lunch.

So, I took a left-over rotisserie chicken out of the fridge and started to pick some meat off the body. Anna was still screaming (d*mn Portuguese), but she was watching intently what I was doing.

I took a drumstick bone and handed it to her. Immediately she stopped crying. There weren't even a few straggling sniffles or wimpers...she INSTANTLY stopped crying.

I couldn't believe it. As those of you know who have ever been in a similar situation, after going through two hours of hell with a devil child, you will pretty much let them do whatever they want for as long as they want as long as they stop freaking out.

So, Anna stayed in her seat at the kitchen table playing, chewing and sucking on her chicken bone. She was there for about a half hour and was so quiet that I actually started to do a little work.

I looked over a few minutes later and this is what I saw...

She was asleep. You can't see the chicken bone because it's in her right hand, which was down by her side, but you can see remnants of the chicken on her face and on the table. Suddenly the devil child was back to daddy's little angel. She was so cute.

Now I was faced with the ultimate conundrum... do I try to fix Anna's potential stiff neck and risk her waking up and freaking out again, or do I let her sleep there???

I opted to move her to her playpen... and thank God, she proceeded to take an hour and a half nap, allowing me piece my life back together, untie the noose from a tree out back and calm down.

If Anna's going to act this way for every molar she cuts, then I'm in for a world of hurt. Please no!