I know. I've been quiet on the blog front. I apologize. I have a decent excuse, I'm just not ready to share it with you quite yet. It's a post in the making.
When you have children you know that situations are going to arise that are unpleasant, unbelievable, and uncouth. It comes with the territory, and even though we know we should expect such things, they always come as a surprise.
When Alex lost his first two teeth, he convinced me to let him keep them in a small clear plastic container by his bed so he could look at them. I'll admit, it's a little odd for me, but in the grand scheme of things it wasn't that big of a deal. The stipulation was that the teeth were for looking at only. Not playing with or touching. This worked wonderfully for several months, then one day as I was folding laundry in the living room, Alex rushed in.
"Mama, my teeth are gone."
"I know sweetie. Remember what we talked about. That's what happens. Your baby teeth fall out so the big ones can grow"
"I know that. I mean my baby teeth are gone."
"You lost more teeth?"
"Yes the ones that fell out. I lost them."
"That's what is supposed to happen."
"No. Mama. My teeth in the container are missing. I don't know where they are."
Just when I start to assume the conversation is destined to be redundant, he throws a curve ball.
We powered through the rest of the day. The teeth long forgotten in the abyss that my mind has become. Alex finally went to bed. Spain finally went to sleep, and I decided to do a quick power sweep through the house before I went to bed. I got to Alex's room, and suddenly I remembered the teeth.
That is how I found myself kneeling on the floor is Alex's bedroom sifting through a pile of debris I had swept up. Dog hair, paper bits and ....was that popcorn? When was the last time we had popcorn? Believe it or not many things can look like baby teeth on the floor. And several of them I could not identify. *insert shudder*
I found one tooth easily, and then I found what I assumed was the other tooth. It looked like a piece had broken off of it, making it harder to identify. I went through the pile again, before reaching the conclusion that the unidentifiable object in my mind was tooth like, and so was probably the missing tooth. It joined the first tooth in it's plastic prison.
I scrubbed my hands and arms like I was prepping for surgery. I'm not sure whether it was the fact that I had touched teeth, or that I had sifted through dirt and touched a lot of questionable items that my skin crawling.
After I was clean, I poured myself my into bed.
Then I remembered that he had lost two front teeth. I had found a front tooth and a "molar".
Oh Lord.
Showing posts with label teeth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teeth. Show all posts
Monday, December 5, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Day three (written last week)
Today has revolved around teeth. The boys and I started the morning by packing up, diapers, books, bouncy seat and borrowed GPS and setting out on a epic journey to find a specific dental clinic. The military likes to keep people on their toes, instead of addresses, they prefer building numbers, and no, the numbers are not sequential. Since I was venturing into a completely foreign area, I halfway expected to get lost. I was armed with a GPS, and directions to the clinic from one of the staff members, so I hoped my paranoia would be just that.
I made it within two blocks of the clinic before getting lost.
I drove up and down the stretch of road, searching for some clue as to where I was. before I broke down and called the clinic for a little help.
“I’m pretty sure I’m completely lost.”
“Are you on the bowling alley side?”
“I passed a bowling alley when I came in.”
“And you see a McDonalds?”
“Well, it’s behind me. It’s off base on the other side of the gate.”
“Where are you now? Do you see any landmarks?”
“I’m at the corner Dentalclinic Ave and Thatplace RD. There’s a big water tower.”
“A Water tower? Where’s the water tower?”
“It’s to my right, and there are planes to my left.”
“You see airplanes?!”
“Yes… Err… or probably jets. They fly in the sky. They’re all over the place! ”
“…. *talking in background* Is there anything else? Signs? Flags?”
“Okay, there’s a sign for the Airman museum.”
“Does it say “Special forces”?”
“It says “airman”. Okay I’m at the fire station on Imsolost blvd and Whathaveigotteninto Dr.”
“...We have a fire station?”
At this point I had a minor meltdown and started describing everything around in vivid detail. Thankfully something finally clicked.
“Okay, go left on Dentalclinic Ave”
”Going left… Okay I’m coming up to the museum sign again.”
“Does it say special forces?”
“… It still says “airman”.”
“What the-”
At this point I was driving past the building with the museum sign in front of it, and beheld the most wonderful sight. “J.D Dental Clinic” written in a small nook over the front door.
“DENTAL CLINC!!!!!” I screeched into my helper’s ear. “I found it!”
“Oh good.” Came the reply “I still have no idea where you were.”
Later that night, I was feeding Spain on the couch, when Alex emerged from the bathroom where he had been brushing his teeth in preparation for bed.
“Mama?”
“Yes, bug?”
“I lost my tooth. It just came out.”
Alex’s first tooth (again).
I’d been preparing myself for this, since last month when our family dentist mentioned that Alex had a loose tooth. I just thought I had a little more time to prepare. But here we are. Alex is losing teeth, Spain is getting teeth. I have two sons teething at the same time.
“Mama, I’m just so proud of myself!” Alex confided to me, as I hugged him close.
“Sweetie, I’m so proud of you too!”
I made it within two blocks of the clinic before getting lost.
I drove up and down the stretch of road, searching for some clue as to where I was. before I broke down and called the clinic for a little help.
“I’m pretty sure I’m completely lost.”
“Are you on the bowling alley side?”
“I passed a bowling alley when I came in.”
“And you see a McDonalds?”
“Well, it’s behind me. It’s off base on the other side of the gate.”
“Where are you now? Do you see any landmarks?”
“I’m at the corner Dentalclinic Ave and Thatplace RD. There’s a big water tower.”
“A Water tower? Where’s the water tower?”
“It’s to my right, and there are planes to my left.”
“You see airplanes?!”
“Yes… Err… or probably jets. They fly in the sky. They’re all over the place! ”
“…. *talking in background* Is there anything else? Signs? Flags?”
“Okay, there’s a sign for the Airman museum.”
“Does it say “Special forces”?”
“It says “airman”. Okay I’m at the fire station on Imsolost blvd and Whathaveigotteninto Dr.”
“...We have a fire station?”
At this point I had a minor meltdown and started describing everything around in vivid detail. Thankfully something finally clicked.
“Okay, go left on Dentalclinic Ave”
”Going left… Okay I’m coming up to the museum sign again.”
“Does it say special forces?”
“… It still says “airman”.”
“What the-”
At this point I was driving past the building with the museum sign in front of it, and beheld the most wonderful sight. “J.D Dental Clinic” written in a small nook over the front door.
“DENTAL CLINC!!!!!” I screeched into my helper’s ear. “I found it!”
“Oh good.” Came the reply “I still have no idea where you were.”
Later that night, I was feeding Spain on the couch, when Alex emerged from the bathroom where he had been brushing his teeth in preparation for bed.
“Mama?”
“Yes, bug?”
“I lost my tooth. It just came out.”
Alex’s first tooth (again).
I’d been preparing myself for this, since last month when our family dentist mentioned that Alex had a loose tooth. I just thought I had a little more time to prepare. But here we are. Alex is losing teeth, Spain is getting teeth. I have two sons teething at the same time.
“Mama, I’m just so proud of myself!” Alex confided to me, as I hugged him close.
“Sweetie, I’m so proud of you too!”