At my son's cleaning visit, the dentist recommended I take my son to see an orthodontist. I wasn't surprised really. Unfortunately for him (and our bank account), he has a
curse courtesy of hubby and me. You see, we both have small mouths. I
also cursed my son with rather large teeth. Large teeth in a small
mouth is not a good mix.
In fact, I was expecting the orthodontist to recommend that we needed to start appliances immediately. What he recommended was that we have 2 teeth removed sooner rather than later so that his teeth could shift around before they started to permanently attach in their current locations. One of those teeth was already loose but was behind the adult tooth. This made it hard to wiggle and get the tooth out. So the orthodontist recommended he chew on something like taffy or Starburst.
Say what?!? Yep. The orthodontist recommended that he eat candy to get his loose tooth out. We scheduled the tooth removal for a couple weeks after the orthodontist visit (the dentist was busy and it would give us more time to get the loose tooth out). The first three nights after the orthodontist appointment my son diligently age his Starbursts. They loosened the tooth some but it just didn't seem like it was going to come out. Life got in the way for a while and we didn't really focus on the tooth until the night before the appointment to have them removed.
We got home late from a friends house (as in 10:30). My son asked if he could try the Starburst one more time. At first I told him no because I didn't want him to get sugared up before bed. He reminded me that if he didn't get it out on his own it would cost me more money. And you know what, he was earnest in wanting to save me money.
As my regular readers are
aware, my family has been spending lots of money on dental work as of
late. My daughter had 10 fillings, Hubby had 2, and I had 2 as well.
All within the last 7 months or so. Luckily my son has been cavity
free. But he knows how expensive all this has been.
So I gave in and let him try one last time. We had one last 2 pack of Starburst left, and although he winced a few times with the first one, it didn't do much other than loosen it up a little.
But that second one... well, the tooth came out! Not without some pain. Oh, and the tooth got stuck in the Starburst and he accidentally bit into it and then swallowed it. Oops! Guess we found the down side :-)
Who knew that Starbust could save money on dental work? How much money you ask? According to the dentist's office $140. So what did I do... I took him to Wendy's to get a Frosty on the way home as a thank you for saving me money and for being such a good patient with the one tooth that was removed.
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Friday, July 4, 2014
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Scheduled Relaxation
The life of a Realtor is an interesting one. It definitely offers a level of flexibility that many other jobs don't. At the same time, you are also at the mercy of others to a degree. For example, when someone you've been working with for a while contacts you letting you know they have a house (or houses) they want to see on a particular day, you do what you can to make that happen.
I've often been asked if I take off Saturday or Sunday and to a degree I do. I don't schedule anything for Saturday evening so I can go to church with the rest of my family. I also try not to do anything on Sunday, but sometimes I will have someone who is only available to see homes on Sundays because of their work or travel schedule. So, I'm kind of on call (with a little notice to schedule seeing the houses).
So when I heard about a surf camp for kids at a nearby beach that's being offered on Sunday afternoons I jumped at it. I figured it would be a great family trip but also just a way to force me to take a break from technology. And with the exception of taking some pictures and videos of my kids surfing, it was just that.
Sunday the kids and I spent about 2 hours at the beach and we had a great time. I admit it, the kids probably had more fun than I did. After all, how can you not have fun learning how to surf (and doing it too)!
I've often been asked if I take off Saturday or Sunday and to a degree I do. I don't schedule anything for Saturday evening so I can go to church with the rest of my family. I also try not to do anything on Sunday, but sometimes I will have someone who is only available to see homes on Sundays because of their work or travel schedule. So, I'm kind of on call (with a little notice to schedule seeing the houses).
So when I heard about a surf camp for kids at a nearby beach that's being offered on Sunday afternoons I jumped at it. I figured it would be a great family trip but also just a way to force me to take a break from technology. And with the exception of taking some pictures and videos of my kids surfing, it was just that.
Sunday the kids and I spent about 2 hours at the beach and we had a great time. I admit it, the kids probably had more fun than I did. After all, how can you not have fun learning how to surf (and doing it too)!
One of son's first attempts
One of daughter's last attempts for the day
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Kids have a Sixth Sense Too
Mom's have a sixth sense. An eye-in-the-back-of-their-heads if you will. Everyone knows it's true. After all, how many times did you get caught doing things you KNEW your mom couldn't see when you were growing up? I admit, I've honed this same "sense," and my kids are amazed when I catch them doing things.
But you know what I've discovered? Kids have it too. But their sixth sense helps them get up early on those days Mom gets up early to get things done while the kids are in bed. I've been getting up at 7AM the last week and a half or so. That's a big thing for me... I'm not a morning person. Getting up at 9 is more my speed. And 9 or 10 USED to be my kids speed, till I started getting up early. Now they are up at 7:30 or 8. How.do.they.know? And why can't I have some uninterrupted, productive time?
My goal with getting up early was so I could get work done and give my kids more undivided attention later in the day. Now all three of us are sleep deprived and cranky by the end of the day and the house is still a mess and I still have hours of work to do after the kids are in bed, but I'm to sleepy to do it. Sigh.
But you know what I've discovered? Kids have it too. But their sixth sense helps them get up early on those days Mom gets up early to get things done while the kids are in bed. I've been getting up at 7AM the last week and a half or so. That's a big thing for me... I'm not a morning person. Getting up at 9 is more my speed. And 9 or 10 USED to be my kids speed, till I started getting up early. Now they are up at 7:30 or 8. How.do.they.know? And why can't I have some uninterrupted, productive time?
My goal with getting up early was so I could get work done and give my kids more undivided attention later in the day. Now all three of us are sleep deprived and cranky by the end of the day and the house is still a mess and I still have hours of work to do after the kids are in bed, but I'm to sleepy to do it. Sigh.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
I've Been Schooled
I admit it. My work schedule has made it difficult for me to be as consistent as I should be when it comes to chores and my kids. It's kind of ironic really. Getting my kids to do their chores means I have less work to do around the house, so you think I'd prefer that to doing it all myself. For some reason though, I found I've just been letting it slide. Not only has it been getting on my last nerve, but hubby wasn't all that happy about it either.
So a couple days ago hubby and I had a talk (with each other) and the next day we presented our unified front on what our expectations are for the kids and their chores. Yes, I'm having to spend a little more time making sure they get things done correctly, however I know in the long-run it will make my life easier and it will also make them more prepared for adulthood.
Oh, and I learned something... all those times I was showing my kids how to do things and they were telling me they couldn't do it... they were pulling my leg. Not only could they do the parts I thought they should have been able to do, they are also capable of doing stuff that I figured was too hard for them.
I think it's safe to say, I was not giving my kids the credit they deserve. No more! My kids are smart, strong, and capable of whatever they put their mind to.
So a couple days ago hubby and I had a talk (with each other) and the next day we presented our unified front on what our expectations are for the kids and their chores. Yes, I'm having to spend a little more time making sure they get things done correctly, however I know in the long-run it will make my life easier and it will also make them more prepared for adulthood.
Oh, and I learned something... all those times I was showing my kids how to do things and they were telling me they couldn't do it... they were pulling my leg. Not only could they do the parts I thought they should have been able to do, they are also capable of doing stuff that I figured was too hard for them.
I think it's safe to say, I was not giving my kids the credit they deserve. No more! My kids are smart, strong, and capable of whatever they put their mind to.
Monday, May 6, 2013
My Poor Baby
I think it's safe to say that the mommy guilt is very strong right now. A few nights ago my daughter complained that one of her teeth was bothering her. "The same one from a while ago," as she said. Last time I told her to floss that area well and she said got something out and that she felt better.
This time, I decided to do the flossing so I could see what was going on. It was between her back top teeth so it was not easy to reach much less see, so after getting a popcorn kernel out I had her lie down on the couch so I could see the area better. I noticed that part of her tooth looked funny so I brushed the area a bit more and found that it looks like her tooth formed strange and I think that has created a pocket area where she now has a cavity.
This is very surprising to me because she has my husband's teeth. You see, he can (and in fact did) go without seeing a dentist for 5 years and have the dentist tell him that his teeth are perfect. In fact, the dentist pretty much called him a liar when my husband said he hasn't been to the dentist since he'd seen him 5 years prior.
There are a couple difference between them though. 1. My husband is a religious flosser. I'm pretty sure my daughter isn't (but she's going to be) and 2. My daughter still doesn't use florinated toothpaste. You see, neither of my kids are good at spitting (my son in particular) so rather than have them swallow florinated toothpaste I've opted to use non-florinated toothpaste. Needless to say the spitting practice has commenced in our house because this needs to change. Yesterday!
Not only was I able to get my daughter a cleaning appointment for next week (the required precursor to getting the tooth fixed), I am planning on attending a pediatric dentistry talk given by our new dentist tomorrow night. I'm hoping it will give me some insights on how best to deal with my kids dental issues.
More than that, right now I'm just praying that what they have to do isn't very invasive. My hubby had a tooth pulled when he was a kid (to make room for his adult teeth) and it is a traumatic experience he still rememberswith horror to this day. I just pray she doesn't have one of those experiences (especially since her brother is already paranoid of the dentist too).
It's bad enough that I didn't catch this sooner. I'm not sure I can handle the guilt if she has a really bad experience too.
This time, I decided to do the flossing so I could see what was going on. It was between her back top teeth so it was not easy to reach much less see, so after getting a popcorn kernel out I had her lie down on the couch so I could see the area better. I noticed that part of her tooth looked funny so I brushed the area a bit more and found that it looks like her tooth formed strange and I think that has created a pocket area where she now has a cavity.
This is very surprising to me because she has my husband's teeth. You see, he can (and in fact did) go without seeing a dentist for 5 years and have the dentist tell him that his teeth are perfect. In fact, the dentist pretty much called him a liar when my husband said he hasn't been to the dentist since he'd seen him 5 years prior.
There are a couple difference between them though. 1. My husband is a religious flosser. I'm pretty sure my daughter isn't (but she's going to be) and 2. My daughter still doesn't use florinated toothpaste. You see, neither of my kids are good at spitting (my son in particular) so rather than have them swallow florinated toothpaste I've opted to use non-florinated toothpaste. Needless to say the spitting practice has commenced in our house because this needs to change. Yesterday!
Not only was I able to get my daughter a cleaning appointment for next week (the required precursor to getting the tooth fixed), I am planning on attending a pediatric dentistry talk given by our new dentist tomorrow night. I'm hoping it will give me some insights on how best to deal with my kids dental issues.
More than that, right now I'm just praying that what they have to do isn't very invasive. My hubby had a tooth pulled when he was a kid (to make room for his adult teeth) and it is a traumatic experience he still remembers
It's bad enough that I didn't catch this sooner. I'm not sure I can handle the guilt if she has a really bad experience too.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Grattitude Challenge - Day 4
Today's grateful will also be a summary of the last couple days.
Today I am grateful for my children.
Are they perfect? No. But neither am I. I guess that's where they get it from. :-)
The last couple days, my family has had a yard sale where we are trying to get rid of (and make a little money doing it) the stuff the previous owner left in the house when she moved out. The kids have been real troopers helping us sort through things, set things out, and move things (on two different days no less). It has also meant a strange sleep and meal schedule for the family for the last couple days. Yet, my kids haven't complained.
To top all that off, yesterday started out pretty rough. We "opened" at 9:30 but didn't get our first customer till 11. That is so out of the ordinary for where we used to live in VA. In fact, in VA we would have had people trying to come into our yard at 7AM (even though signs said 9) hoping they could score a deal as we were setting everything up. With all the disappointment that this could have brought, my kids handled it surprisingly well. Needless to say we didn't make that much money yesterday. After the yard sale, I went to show a house to someone and I had 30 minutes to get ready to go to church and write an offer on the house I'd just seen. My kids were instrumental in making sure we were only a couple minutes late to church rather than very late.
Today, we set up our signs in a few different places and considering where we live we had quite the stream of people. We also got to meet most of our neighbors for the first time which was nice. While all of this was going on, my kids were not only excited (they sold a few of their old toys), but they were very helpful when needed (for example when one family came in and bought 3 tables worth of Christmas decorations all at once and we needed to get everything boxed up).
Needless to say, the last couple days have shown what my kids are made of, and I really like what I see. One proud Mama here.
Today I am grateful for my children.
Are they perfect? No. But neither am I. I guess that's where they get it from. :-)
The last couple days, my family has had a yard sale where we are trying to get rid of (and make a little money doing it) the stuff the previous owner left in the house when she moved out. The kids have been real troopers helping us sort through things, set things out, and move things (on two different days no less). It has also meant a strange sleep and meal schedule for the family for the last couple days. Yet, my kids haven't complained.
To top all that off, yesterday started out pretty rough. We "opened" at 9:30 but didn't get our first customer till 11. That is so out of the ordinary for where we used to live in VA. In fact, in VA we would have had people trying to come into our yard at 7AM (even though signs said 9) hoping they could score a deal as we were setting everything up. With all the disappointment that this could have brought, my kids handled it surprisingly well. Needless to say we didn't make that much money yesterday. After the yard sale, I went to show a house to someone and I had 30 minutes to get ready to go to church and write an offer on the house I'd just seen. My kids were instrumental in making sure we were only a couple minutes late to church rather than very late.
Today, we set up our signs in a few different places and considering where we live we had quite the stream of people. We also got to meet most of our neighbors for the first time which was nice. While all of this was going on, my kids were not only excited (they sold a few of their old toys), but they were very helpful when needed (for example when one family came in and bought 3 tables worth of Christmas decorations all at once and we needed to get everything boxed up).
Needless to say, the last couple days have shown what my kids are made of, and I really like what I see. One proud Mama here.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Walt's place
Figured out the pictures problem. Enjoy!
------------------------------
So, we got off the cruise ship and said to ourselves..."Do we really want to go back to Virginia? Or would we rather look around Florida and enjoy the warmth and see if maybe we'd be interested in moving to Florida (we do intend to move South but haven't decided on exactly where)? Guess what we picked? Virginia.
NOT! We decided to stay in Florida for a bit longer. We drove to the west coast of Florida to Ft. Myers and visited with a friend of mine who I had not seen in years. Then we drove up to Tampa and spent some time with my Grandmother and Aunt. Then we decided to go to Walt's place (aka Disney World). We ended up doing Epcot the first day, Animal Kingdom the second day, and Magic Kingdom the third (and final) day.
While at Epcot we learned that our daughter was not as fearless as we thought she was. While on the "Test Track" she decided she didn't like fast rides anymore. Keep in mine it went 60 mph for maybe 10 seconds and the rest was probably no faster than 35 mph. After that, daughter and I ended up doing everything together and Daddy and son went off and did some of the fast rides together. The day was ended with the fireworks and laser spectacular.
The Animal Kingdom was all about my daughter. She LOVES all things animals. The rides tended to be a bit more tame because they were designed to go through animal habitats so there was only one ride she didn't do that the guys did so it was a good day. Animal Kingdom also closes earlier than the other parks which was good because of how long our day had been at Epcot.
Magic Kingdom was of course the favorite day for all of us. We'd all gotten into a groove and had figured out the best rides for each kid. It didn't hurt that they have many more rides to choose from (even with a few of them being closed for renovations - the downside of going "off season"). Mommy also got to ride a few of the bigger rides with son while daughter rode a tamer ride with Daddy.
------------------------------
So, we got off the cruise ship and said to ourselves..."Do we really want to go back to Virginia? Or would we rather look around Florida and enjoy the warmth and see if maybe we'd be interested in moving to Florida (we do intend to move South but haven't decided on exactly where)? Guess what we picked? Virginia.
NOT! We decided to stay in Florida for a bit longer. We drove to the west coast of Florida to Ft. Myers and visited with a friend of mine who I had not seen in years. Then we drove up to Tampa and spent some time with my Grandmother and Aunt. Then we decided to go to Walt's place (aka Disney World). We ended up doing Epcot the first day, Animal Kingdom the second day, and Magic Kingdom the third (and final) day.
While at Epcot we learned that our daughter was not as fearless as we thought she was. While on the "Test Track" she decided she didn't like fast rides anymore. Keep in mine it went 60 mph for maybe 10 seconds and the rest was probably no faster than 35 mph. After that, daughter and I ended up doing everything together and Daddy and son went off and did some of the fast rides together. The day was ended with the fireworks and laser spectacular.
The Animal Kingdom was all about my daughter. She LOVES all things animals. The rides tended to be a bit more tame because they were designed to go through animal habitats so there was only one ride she didn't do that the guys did so it was a good day. Animal Kingdom also closes earlier than the other parks which was good because of how long our day had been at Epcot.
Magic Kingdom was of course the favorite day for all of us. We'd all gotten into a groove and had figured out the best rides for each kid. It didn't hurt that they have many more rides to choose from (even with a few of them being closed for renovations - the downside of going "off season"). Mommy also got to ride a few of the bigger rides with son while daughter rode a tamer ride with Daddy.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Cruzin'
When my parents mentioned in late November that they were going to book a 6-night cruise to the Caribbean in early January, hubby and I decided we would join them. Why not? We're homeschooling and we wanted an excuse to go where it was warm.
Our initial plan was to take 3 days to drive to Ft. Lauderdale since we need to drive a little slower pulling the camper. When we decided not to take the camper we changed our plans to drive down in 2 days. This saved us one night in a hotel but also gave us an extra day to get our camper and stuff moved out of my father's building (which it turned out we needed).
The kids did surprisingly well considering we drove 500+ miles the first day and just under 500 the second. Of course the DVD player didn't hurt. We knew we were going to be doing a lot of traveling, so for Christmas we got the kids DVD players. What's cool about them is that the DVD players can play the same movie or they can play different movies. When you have a boy who likes to watch Bill Nye DVD's and a girl who likes to watch animated movies it's great!
When we went on our anniversary cruise we decided we were going to wait till our youngest was 6 to take them. Obviously we took them a bit earlier than that. To be honest, the 4 year old did really well! The 6 year old was a different story. Just about every time we tried to take him to the kids program he would get clingy. Apparently there were a few kids in the class who like to make fun of him. I guess my son has not had to worry about such things before because he's always been the tallest kid in his class (on the cruise ship he was in the class with 8 year-olds). This is obviously something we need to work on in the future, but it made the cruise a bit difficult.
It's safe to say that our families favorite thing about the trip was an "excursion" we took to a turtle farm in Grand Cayman. We booked it with them directly which allowed us to save some money. My parents were on the cruise as well so they went with us. I think having all 6 of us there was extra special.
Hubby and I (as well as my parents) also went on a behind-the-scenes tour of the ship. We got to go into the galley (kitchen), engine room (the room with the computers not the actual engines), food storage, laundry, and the bridge (among a few others). Unfortunately, for security reasons we were not allowed to take our camera, but we did get our pictures taken with the captain. If you like to know how things work behind the scenes, I would recommend doing this tour, but be warned it's pricey and it fills up fast (there were 18 slots in our tour and it filled up in 3 days with minimal advertising).
Will we take the kids on another cruise? Yes. Will we be doing it anytime soon? Probably not. Before doing so, we need to get the clingy thing worked out and I also want to do some research to make sure we pick the right ship and itinerary (we went to one port where I really wish we hadn't taken the kids off the ship). Oh, and we need to save up some serious money.
Our initial plan was to take 3 days to drive to Ft. Lauderdale since we need to drive a little slower pulling the camper. When we decided not to take the camper we changed our plans to drive down in 2 days. This saved us one night in a hotel but also gave us an extra day to get our camper and stuff moved out of my father's building (which it turned out we needed).
The kids did surprisingly well considering we drove 500+ miles the first day and just under 500 the second. Of course the DVD player didn't hurt. We knew we were going to be doing a lot of traveling, so for Christmas we got the kids DVD players. What's cool about them is that the DVD players can play the same movie or they can play different movies. When you have a boy who likes to watch Bill Nye DVD's and a girl who likes to watch animated movies it's great!
When we went on our anniversary cruise we decided we were going to wait till our youngest was 6 to take them. Obviously we took them a bit earlier than that. To be honest, the 4 year old did really well! The 6 year old was a different story. Just about every time we tried to take him to the kids program he would get clingy. Apparently there were a few kids in the class who like to make fun of him. I guess my son has not had to worry about such things before because he's always been the tallest kid in his class (on the cruise ship he was in the class with 8 year-olds). This is obviously something we need to work on in the future, but it made the cruise a bit difficult.
It's safe to say that our families favorite thing about the trip was an "excursion" we took to a turtle farm in Grand Cayman. We booked it with them directly which allowed us to save some money. My parents were on the cruise as well so they went with us. I think having all 6 of us there was extra special.
Hubby and I (as well as my parents) also went on a behind-the-scenes tour of the ship. We got to go into the galley (kitchen), engine room (the room with the computers not the actual engines), food storage, laundry, and the bridge (among a few others). Unfortunately, for security reasons we were not allowed to take our camera, but we did get our pictures taken with the captain. If you like to know how things work behind the scenes, I would recommend doing this tour, but be warned it's pricey and it fills up fast (there were 18 slots in our tour and it filled up in 3 days with minimal advertising).
Will we take the kids on another cruise? Yes. Will we be doing it anytime soon? Probably not. Before doing so, we need to get the clingy thing worked out and I also want to do some research to make sure we pick the right ship and itinerary (we went to one port where I really wish we hadn't taken the kids off the ship). Oh, and we need to save up some serious money.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
A Blogging Newbie
This is my first official blog so forgive me if I seem rough around the edges.
I have decided to do this blog because I have been traveling a lot over the last month and it looks like there will be more to come. You see, my husband has been offered a job in Australia. We have lived on the East coast of the United States for our 11 years of married life and both of our children were born on the East coast as well. This will be quite a change for all of us but it is one we are looking forward to. Of course we will miss our friends and family, but we are looking forward to all the adventures we will get to have. What an opportunity for our children to experience a different culture (and I don't even have to learn a different language)!
We are not sure when the move to Australia will happen. Unfortunately, we are waiting for our paperwork to be processed and it doesn't seem to be any faster there than in the US. While we wait, we've decided to embark on another adventure of sorts.
In October, we are planning on getting an RV and setting it up so that we can not only live in it, but so that my husband can still contact his new employer in Australia. Then we are heading South for the winter. Our plan is to start out in Florida (near Disney) so that we can take the kids to all the attractions there. Then we will move West. If the paperwork takes long enough, we hope to be able to see the Grand Canyon and maybe even Old Faithful.
I just started homeschooling my 1st grader in preparation for all of our travels. It has been quite an adventure in and of itself, but it is one I'm enjoying. I hope I enjoy the rest of my upcoming adventures just as much. I hope you will too.
I have decided to do this blog because I have been traveling a lot over the last month and it looks like there will be more to come. You see, my husband has been offered a job in Australia. We have lived on the East coast of the United States for our 11 years of married life and both of our children were born on the East coast as well. This will be quite a change for all of us but it is one we are looking forward to. Of course we will miss our friends and family, but we are looking forward to all the adventures we will get to have. What an opportunity for our children to experience a different culture (and I don't even have to learn a different language)!
We are not sure when the move to Australia will happen. Unfortunately, we are waiting for our paperwork to be processed and it doesn't seem to be any faster there than in the US. While we wait, we've decided to embark on another adventure of sorts.
In October, we are planning on getting an RV and setting it up so that we can not only live in it, but so that my husband can still contact his new employer in Australia. Then we are heading South for the winter. Our plan is to start out in Florida (near Disney) so that we can take the kids to all the attractions there. Then we will move West. If the paperwork takes long enough, we hope to be able to see the Grand Canyon and maybe even Old Faithful.
I just started homeschooling my 1st grader in preparation for all of our travels. It has been quite an adventure in and of itself, but it is one I'm enjoying. I hope I enjoy the rest of my upcoming adventures just as much. I hope you will too.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)