Monday, April 27, 2009

Jaw Dropping Experience

Catch up time.

You may be familiar with the 5 year college plan, well I have been living out a 5 year dental plan. Unfortunately I took the A++ dental reports from my childhood for granted and for several completely irresponsible years in those late teens and early twenties did not take the time to brush the old teethies before passing out from one or two too many drinks from the night before. Needless to say, I am paying the price. Both physically and financially.


So, now that you have a run down on the dental history of Amy and are probably completely disgusted, I have to tell you that I spent two and half hours of agony in the dentist chair this last week. To say I hate dental work is a complete understatement. UNDERSTATEMENT I tell you!

My blood pressure goes up, my hands and feet swell up, my stomach turns and I imagine the worst possible scenarios that push me right into a fearful, tearful fit. No lie here, folks. Just ask the doc. He gets freaked out every time the tears flow.

But this trip was different. I went in expecting to just do a simple fix on a front tooth that was chipped from a fight I had with a peanut butter granola bar the week before. A minor sanding and refinishing job. Right?

Wrong! The dentist had other plans that he failed to inform me of until he had the drill in my mouth and was working his way to the furthest regions of my mouth. This by far, was the worst piece of my 5 year plan to correct the youthful negligence. Needless to say I learned the following things during the complete two and half hours of the jaw dropping experience:

1. My dentist, Dr. Mark Gray is the most patient and gentlest man in the world. No matter how much I HATE dental work, he is still the best!


2. No dentist should be allowed to turn a drill on until they have offered you an in chair massage, neck pillow, head phones (even though they are circa 1982, it's better than nothing for those of us with ipods not readily available) and drugs! Gas, pills, multitudes of the injectionable numbing stuff- no matter the form it is a must!

3. Public radio is the bomb! There is nothing more relaxing that a little classical concerto to drowned out the sound of your tooth being ground away.

4. It stinks when the dentist is working in your mouth so long that he had to make stops to check in on his regular well check patients. I think there could have possibly been a quick lunch break in there.

5. In fact, I'm pretty sure there was a smoke break in there for his assistant who's rubber coated, smoke smelling hands suctioned my mouth during the entire process. Gag!


6. Getting more intrusive dental work than expected is a perfect excuse to take the rest of the day off and catch up on a little TV time in a quiet house.

Needless to say, the completion phase of my dental plan is nearing. There is light at the end of the tunnel and 2009 will be that year. As pleasant as an experience as Dr. Gray and his staff attempt to make the process, I fear there is some long lost memory of a child hood experience that has traumatized me to the point of never having what some would call a "pleasant" dental work experience.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

The stuff that dreams are made of...

For you Jori and anyone else that delights in or dreams about choreographed dance routines!


Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Believe in the Bunny!

A little pink egg made it's way into the hands of my handsome little son this Easter.

He just decided to share it with me this evening.

Inside are two pieces of notebook paper.

Note one.



My fancy for you is growing.









Note two.
If guy friends were flowers I'd pick you. You're a great friend. You care for me when I am sad and give me a shoulder to bend down and cry on. Your awsome!

"Heart,"
Chy


P.S. Believe in the bunny!
I hate to admit it, but I like her.
It's a milestone for my precious boy. His first "girlfriend."
Sweet innocence in its purest and finest form.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Wild Things

Where the Wild Things Are

a book byMaurice Sendak has been a favorite in our house for the last 12 years.

There was a time when we read it about 3-4 times a week for the bedtime story.

Every little boy relates. And mom too...




I can't wait!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Tomorrow, Tomorrow...It's Only a Day Away

Even though he is one of the 'big kids' now, he is still one of the 'little kids.' As I sit and type I am listening to my 'little kid' play basketball with the high school neighbor in the driveway. 'Big kid' is giving directions, instructing and encouraging 'little kid' who lets out a whoop of excitement periodically over his own little job-well-done.

But, less than an hour ago I was sitting across the table in a restaurant from my 'little kid' having a conversation and thinking what a 'big kid' he is becoming. The conversation went something like this:

'Little Kid' (LK): "Mom, what do I do to get rid of this?" (he says while using both hands to grab at his belly)

Mom: "Well, being aware of what you are eating is a good place to start. But, why the sudden concern about changing your appearance" (pertinent information: he added to his chore list last week his own version of a weekly workout regiment. i.e. Mondays and Wednesday- 5 minutes with weights. BTW, I am sure all he heard was blah, blah, blah...)

LK: "You know we have that Spring trip coming up with Orchestra and it's to Splashtown!"

At this point, this LK sitting in front of me all of the sudden became a BIG KID! Thankfully, we are still at this awkward stage of wavering on that line between big and little.

The waiter approaches the table and all of the sudden the fearless LK emerges again and orders a slice of chocolate chip cake. No worries, he assures me. He will start eating better tomorrow.