Come Closer... Closer... CHOMP!

Some may say that babies grow their first teeth in order to acquire the ability to chew and tear at solid foods. Although that may be true, it is only a small part of the full story. As a parent, you quickly, and often painfully, learn that those first teeth are for much more than just chewing on food.
Rai, you've always been good at reaching out with your arms in that gesture that could only mean 'come closer, give me a hug, pick me up'. You began working on this siren song a long, long time ago. We quickly realized that once we got close enough for you to reach out and grab us, that your next move was to draw our finger or arm nice and close so that you could gnaw at it for a while. Back when you had no teeth, this was a fun experience. We'd feel your gums chomping on our skin, and were often surprised by the power of your bite.
Then, one day, that gnawing turned painful. Your first teeth had come in! Today, you've got plenty of teeth so when you do successfully get your mouth on our arm or neck or even finger, the result is tremendous pain! We've learned to keep our distance but still you try to lure us in with a wink, smile and those welcoming arms. Then, you bare those teeth...