Monday, February 15, 2010

You just can't make this stuff up

Today was a school holiday, and we had plans to visit the dentist this morning for Michael and Emily's 6 month checkup. I was also hopeful that Emily could get her teeth "fixed" as she fell in early January and now both of her front teeth are gray. Vain, I know, but they will not fall out for at least another 2 years, and I just can't bear seeing those gray teeth instead of her pearly whites. Even the dentist agreed that her front teeth are unusually large and that bonding them would be a good idea.

So Sophie tells me she is sick, doesn't feel good, can't go with us. I take her temp and it's normal. She does look tired, but has no other symptoms. I tell her she can go, read in the waiting room while I go back with them. The tears and whining ensue, there are no neighbors available to watch her, so I break down and call Terry to see if he can come home to stay with her. He can, and is home in 30 minutes. Right after he arrives home Sophie asks if we will still have our friends over when I get home for our planned playdate. "Um, no, you are sick." "Weeeellllll," she says, "I'm really not that sick. I mean, I'm sick b/c I am grumpy and tired, but I know I will feel better later and Elizabeth should still come over." At this I give her a look that says she had better come up with something better than what I just heard. To which she replies, "OK, OK, maybe I am not that sick, but I don't want to have to wait in the dentist's office for you, but I do still want E to come over...."

This did not sit well with me, as you can imagine. So, no TV, Wii or other screen time for the rest of the day, which trust me, was more painful for me than for her. And a lecture about telling the truth, taking responsibility, etc.

Meanwhile, at the dentist, Michael, who has been worrying the entire morning about the visit, does fabulously, while Emily clams up and has to be bribed every which way to open her mouth. I end up having to sit in the chair, with her on my lap, while the overly sweet hygenist does her best to get her to cooperate. This lady has an alligator puppet with a freakishly large set of adult teeth that she is using to demonstrate to Emily how the "tickle machine" will not hurt" "See, Mr Alligator is fine, you don't hear him crying, do you, it doesn't hurt at all!" To which Emily opens up her mouth enough to respond, "It didn't hurt him because he's not REAL!" I had to keep myself from laughing out loud, and in my head I am thinking, "Well, she's got a point..."

2 comments:

GrandmaMaier said...

you certantly have your share of exitement in your house--it seems like more goings on then I remember with a houseful. However, that is a good thing about memory - maybe I just don't remember the stress. The time goes all too short -just think how remarkable they are, coming up with all these excuses. Enjoy them...

Dorothy Gould said...

Mom-So true, I just keep telling myself that these qualities will come in handy later in life. Glad I have them to keep me laughing!