I always feel like winters are difficult when it comes to
finding new moments to chronicle in Ellie's life. After all, there's only so
many ways a person can write (or read) a post dealing with Ellie playing inside
with her toys or going to Chick-Fil-A or helping do laundry. That being said,
there are those occasional times when an idea for a blog post falls right into
my lap or in this instance, right into my gaping mouth.
By the way, if that last comment is confusing, it's ok.
That's just my playful way of stating that today marked Ellie's first trip to
the dentist.
Bethany and I are lucky enough (depending on how you look at
it) to have great dental insurance that entitles us to receive free teeth
cleanings and check-ups once every six months. Between that and the fact that
our dentist and hygienists are awesome, it really helps to turn something that
many people hate into a positive experience. In fact, the only real downside is
the awkwardness of trying to talk or carry on a conversation while someone has
their hands shoved in your mouth.
Through the course of those awkward conversations, my
hygienist has learned all about Ellie and as a result, strongly encouraged me
to bring her along to an appointment. While I put off doing so for a while,
today marked the big day as, at long last, Ellie was finally able to go to the
dentist.
One thing about taking a toddler to a dentist appointment is
that it requires a bit more planning than normal. First of all, I needed to
allot extra travel time so I could make sure Ellie had time for a bathroom
break when we arrived. Second of all, it was also necessary for me to pack a
bag of books and toys to ensure Ellie stayed entertained and that she also
abstained from getting into trouble.
Lest I neglect to mention it, there was one other reason for
us to arrive early for our appointment: the fish tank. This isn't just any fish
tank though. It's actually built into and takes up about half of the length of
a wall. Simply put, think of the fish tank from the dentist office in 'Finding
Nemo' and you have a pretty solid understanding of what this tank is like.
As soon as I opened the door to the office and Ellie saw the
tank, she took off running to it. Once there, she hopped up onto a chair and
pressed her little face to the glass, all while watching the tropical fish swim
about. Before Ellie knew it, the time had come to leave the fish behind and
head to the chair for my cleaning.
One thing that is great about my dentist is that they really
do take care of parents who have to bring their kids along. As I sat in the big
purple chair having my teeth cleaned, Ellie sat in a tiny blue folding chair
beside me with Daniel Tiger playing on the TV. Another nice thing is that my
hygienist basically did a running commentary for Ellie as she cleaned my teeth.
The dentist also counted each and every one of my teeth for Ellie as well (28
if you're wondering).
Finally, I was all done and ready to leave. However, Ellie
wasn't quite ready to go. She looked at the hygienist and said with total
seriousness, "What about my appointment?". Obviously, that statement
elicited laughter from both myself and the hygienist. Luckily for Ellie though,
the hygienist decided to humor her by giving her a ride in the big chair.
As the chair reclined backwards, Ellie (who had watched my
entire checkup) opened her mouth wide and sat waiting for her teeth to be
cleaned. When the hygienist saw that, she just laughed and grabbed a fresh pair
of rubber gloves. She then proceeded to give Ellie's teeth a quick look,
checking to see that everything felt firm and healthy. Once that was done, it
was sticker time for Ellie. Specifically a smiling star and a big toothbrush in
case you're wondering.
With that, Ellie and I put on our coats and headed out of
the dentist office. I'm wondering if Ellie's excitement for this little
adventure is going to propel her down a path towards the dental sciences. Or
you know, at least encourage her to practice good oral hygiene. I think we'd
all consider that a win. #DaddyWrite
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