With Each Passing Year....

...comes new responsibilities. In this 3rd year of life, Emma has taken on the responsibility of oral health. Well, ok. Who are we kidding. It's been my job since the first tooth came in, and I'm still doing all the work. When she says, "Ok. My turn with the toofbrush, Mommy." What that really means is, "Let me tickle my tongue with the bristles for 15 seconds, and we'll call that brushing my teeth." Lucky for me, she's never been resistant to my brushing, flossing....yes....flossing (almost every night I might add), or otherwise messing with her teeth. Nope, no squeamishness about oral hygiene here. So, I figured her first trip to the dentist would go smoothly, and let me tell you.....it did!

See for yourself.


Flashing the pearly whites in the waiting room, getting to know the wonderful hygienist Kathryn, and getting her teeth polished. Emma LOVED Kathryn. She was sweet, gentle, funny, and all the right things an adult in a potentially frightening place should be to make a wide-eyed 3 year old feel at ease. Emma NEVER took her eyes of Kathryn the entire time she was in the chair.


Look at her eyes....on the hygienist. I'm telling you, the kid was riveted. Finally, Dr. Engel, with the same goofy, gentle, sensitive chair-side manner that Kathryn employed (there's something in the water in this place..."nice ice" or something), checked out her teeth and assured me that we were in for some, "Ortho work on the bottom." Great. And of course, a great trip to the dentist, complete with Piglet toothbrush and oral hygiene education on the dangers of "sugar bugs", wouldn't be complete without celebrating with a big, fat, sugary donut.

C'mon...the kid flosses DAILY at 3. How many of you can say that? The least I could do is give her a donut.