Dentist Day

Today we took the whole family to the dentist.
The kids have never seen a dentist, and since lost our dental insurance about a year ago, it had been at least 14 months since Jake or I had been.
I could see a cavity in my back molar- my 1st ever.
I figured it was time.
So we made 4 appointments one after the other for Thursday morning.
And I was a bit nervous.
Nervous that we would be paying out of our own pockets to fill cavities on everyone,
and more nervous the kids would riot and refuse.

I told Kate that we were going to see a dentist while we were at home.
She complained and said she didn't want to go.
She kept saying over and over again "My teeth are fine"
I couldn't wait to see what she did when they tried to clean her teeth.

I went 1st. Just the one cavity to be filled next week.
Or course I didn't get x-rays to protect the fetus.

When I was done Kate, Sam and Jake were not in the waiting room.
They had been taken back, and both kids had had their teeth cleaned already.
Without me, and any protesting.
I hadn't ever heard a thing in the next room.
I was shocked.
The dentist finished checking them up and they hopped down happy to get their prizes and new toothbrushes.
No cavities or problems for them either.
This surprised me too since they make me chase and pin them down to brush their teeth.
Jake and the hygienist said that Kate had been especially good, interested in the chair that went up and down and happy about her appointment all around.
I was so proud of her and kept telling her over and over again.
While Jake finished his appointment I waited with the kids in the kids room.

The two of them were more interested in the books about dentists, and carried around their bags of toothbrushes for the rest of the time there.
At home the continued to carry around their bags of goodies from the dentist, talk about the dentist, and then both brushed their teeth while watching a movie this afternoon- without any prompting. In fact I couldn't get them to put their toothpaste and floss away.

At night we were cleaning up Kate insisted we put all her new teeth cleaning supplies away in her bathroom so they didn't get lost.

It was a very strange and much better than expected 1st time at the dentist for the kids.
It made for a great rest of the day.