First Trip to the Dentist

Apparently you are suppose to take your children to the dentist by the time they are 3 years old. Reagan will be 4 in about a week and today was her first dental appointment. When we checked in I asked the lady at the front desk if they were going to turn me in to DHR for neglecting my child's teeth. She laughed and reassured me that every day they see 13 year olds that are coming in for their first cleaning ever. That made me feel a lot better.

I haven't taken Reagan until now because I personally cannot stand going to the dentist. I get all nervous every single time I go in for my cleanings. I hate the smell of the dentist office, I hate laying on that chair with my mouth open for 45 minutes, and I absolutely hate trying to not to swallow while the hygienist does her thing. The closeness also makes me a little uncomfortable and I know that is weird.

I took Reagan to my dentist about two years ago because she fell and knocked one of her front teeth loose. The dentist had to take an x-ray and luckily the tooth was saved and we have had no problems with it. That visit was a nightmare though. She screamed and I had to hold her down so the dentist could examine her and take that x-ray. This is what I was expecting today, which is why I have avoided this appointment.

Anyway, Reagan did fabulous today. She was actually excited to go. I was waiting on her to freak out and she never did. I have been reading her the book The Berenstein Bears Go to the Dentist and I think it really helped prepare her. She didn't seem nervous in the least. The best news was that I didn't even have to go back with her. I have been worried about this appointment for no reason. I got to just chill out in the waiting room and smell that wonderful dentist smell. Yuck.

The hygienist called me back after about 20-25 minutes and said that Reagan was a wonderful patient, that she had beautiful clean teeth, and that she didn't have any cavities. I was thrilled to hear that. I had already told Gene that if we had to come back to fill a cavity, he was definitely coming with me or bringing her by himself. When I saw Reagan, she was sitting in that little dentist chair smiling from ear to ear, digging in her little goody bag that she received at the end of her visit. She immediately started telling me about all the gadgets and the water they shot into her mouth, etc. The hygienist started laughing and said the hardest part of her cleaning was getting her to stop talking so she could do her thing. That made me laugh. I guess I should have warned her that Reagan was a talker.

Changing the subject...Gracen started crawling today. I don't know if this is good news or bad news. She is about to be everywhere. She also fed herself cheerios today. She has been eating these as a little snack for a few weeks but I have had to pop them in her mouth. She has been able to pick them up for a couple of days now, but couldn't quite figure out how to get them in her mouth. Well, she got 4 in there today. It was a big day around here.

Well, I am off to finish watching American Idol with my honey.