Pearly Whites

Parenting is not a tool to use if you're looking for an ego boost. There's nothing like finding a brown spot on your small child's front tooth to make you question your ability do basic parental functions - like keeping teeth clean. No matter that you scrub that child's teeth twice a day, never let a bottle find it's way into her crib, don't even buy fruit juice, and work hard to limit the amount of sugar she eats - one little brown spot and I'm questioning every parenting decision I've ever made and envisioning a two year old with a mouth full of silver caps whenever she smiles. (Anyone seen James Bond, "Moonraker"? Yeah, that guy)

Luckily, it turns out that she isn't making enamel. See that? My first thought was 'Oh thank goodness, I'm not as bad of a parent as I suspected' THEN I started asking questions about how to save her teeth until the adult ones come in (Let's hope the adult teeth get the message about the importance of enamel, no guarantees!)

Ugh, two year olds. They're so small in very large dental chairs, holding onto their bears and periodically doing a little self talk. "I'm okay, Mommy. I'm okay at the dentist."  And I'm there trying to be all positive and calm and freaking out inside about how tall she's getting and how tiny she is in the enormous chair that seems cool because it lays back into a bed but we all know what happens when the dentist lays you back and says 'open wide!' and she has no clue.

Brave Survivor!