Found a good thing, sticking to it

Can you hear the whingeing in my house? 
It's teeth. Their growing generates a sound very much like fingernails down a chalkboard. Yes, yes, some experts have said teeth don't hurt when they come through.  Well, 3 kids down - that's 60 baby teeth breaking gums, causing bleeding and not to mention what it does to the nether regions - makes me an expert too, and I say it hurts.  Them and me.
So what to do...
I have tried all the recommended tricks and I have to say, not many work.  Sometimes not even the hardcore drugs. But today I came across a wee miracle.  It's a piece of rubber shaped like a pimply fish, and known by little Miss Screechypants Soreteeth as "Pishie" (pimply fishie = pishie. So advanced).

For a baby who's been seriously ill in her little life I am now ridiculously fanatical about what goes in her mouth. So big tick for the Natural Rubber Teether, aka Pishie, for being made of completely natural rubber from rubber trees - not a petro-chemical or BPA in sight (why has the rest of the world banned this and NOT Australia?). Chew the living daylights out of it Beautiful.  And it's all one piece so I know she's not going to swallow and choke if one part comes away like some of those poor little bubba's in the news.
To begin with Miss Screechypants cuddled it. Having never been a baby who automatically inspects things with her mouth, it did not occur to her to chew Pishie, especially as I'm always telling her not to chew her brothers. So I showed her what to do, to the hilarity of my sons.
But she copied, and I could see the relief on her face as little Miss PeacefulwithPishie knawed away. Ahh, the serenity.
Serenity for sale at http://www.makeuwell.com/.

Mothers Group

My Mothers Group is the epitome of the saying 'it's like putting on an old pair of shoes'.
Our first born's are the ripe old age of 6 now, and half way through a successful first year at school, so they no longer get to see their little pals every week. Yet the mummy's and siblings still meet up, even if it's a little less regular than years past.  Now we find the need to do dinner, as well as a once a month park date. 
I have an image of that first Mothers Group meeting that will never leave me: In the small stuffy clinic room, all of us nervous, sitting there willing the most amazing thing we've ever achieved, to not scream. Everyone introduced themselves, and first impressions were fairly correct - a bunch of honest, fun girls who would turn out to be a pretty amazing support group for each one of us. 
Some breastfed, some co-slept with their babies, some started food before the clinic's allotted age. At the time they were huge issues for us all; we talked, we coached, we listened and provided a shoulder to cry on, or a funny story to lighten the atmosphere. Now that our babies have taken that first big step toward independence in going to school, the conversation is all about homework, how we survived their first day, and how amazing it is to watch them learn.
Second babies came along.  Another time I won't forget is the day one mother announced her second pregnacy, and bit by bit much of the rest of the mothers group said they were pregnant too, all due around the same time.  We had twins in the group, and learnt all about how two little beings grow in one space, and very recently what seems to be our last little baby has been born, much longed for and a true miracle - a great celebration for us all.  
Having a baby is possibly the most miraculous thing an ordinary person will do. But longer lasting than those first fraught and joyful years, is the blessing of friends to share the experience and the memories with.