So Proud. So Big!

I'm incredibly proud of the kids today. If I could, I would decant this feeling and keep it in a crystal bottle labeled MY KIDS ARE AWESOME. It would be nice to have something like that in storage so I could uncork it when they are being less than wonderful!

The source of all this: a visit to the dentist this morning. BB's first visit. BJ's an old hand by now -- I think this is his fourth visit? -- and both kids amazed me. Not only was BJ totally fine with going back with the hygienist all by himself so that he could get his first set of x-rays, but he was also a perfect role-model for his sister, showing her exactly how to be calm and cooperative. We came back to his room after his x-rays were done so that BB could see him with all the big equipment and get a sense of what it was all about, and he was laid back in the chair saying "ah" as cool as could be.

The original plan had been to take care of BJ's appointment and then do BB's, but it turned out that they could take BB early, before BJ was finished. (In fact, it was only about 10 minutes into his appointment.) I asked BJ if he'd be OK if I left to go to the room next door to be with BB, and he was totally fine with it. He finished up his cleaning and check-up, came in to BB's exam room to inform me that he had A New Toothbrush! And then read quietly by himself in the kids' waiting area while I finished up with BB.

Meanwhile, BB was being her own brave and wonderful self, telling the hygienist that her scrubs were "My Favorite Color!" (This is a big deal for BB right now -- she's apt to burst into such announcements whenever she sees any shade of pink.) She opened up, got her teeth cleaned, submitted to the exam without protest, and was just generally cooperative and sweet.

Both the hygienists and the dentist said to me as we were leaving, "The kids were great! They were better than some adults we see!"

No cavities, either! All 20 teeth for each of them are looking very good. Not a smidge of trouble in any way.

No wonder, then, that I'm feeling so proud of them tonight. And feeling very aware of how big they are both getting. No babies in this house any more! All day, they've been telling me things like: "Mommy! They put water in my mouth! And then a little vacuum! And water!" It's quite endearing. It's clear they are proud of themselves, too. They know they did good.

While I'd hoped that things would go well today -- BJ has always been good at the dentist -- I was certainly nervous as I walked in to the office with both of them. I'd contemplated doing separate appointments or trying to schedule things such that S could join us, because I knew that if things went badly, they could get really bad. But I decided to chance it (obviously) and (obviously) it paid off.

I tell ya, these kids of mine are so big! And so wonderful.

Be sure to remind me of this when I'm grousing about the inevitable frustrations that will follow, soon enough I'm sure!