"I'm NOT going to the dentist!"

So a few weeks ago when I was helping D brush his teeth, I spotted something white on his gums behind his front baby tooth on the bottom. I tried to brush it off and when that didn't work I stuck my finger in to confirm my suspicions - a tooth! He had a permanent tooth growing in right behind a baby tooth! So I called the dentist the next morning and they said I could bring him in for an extraction or wait a week or so and have him try to wiggle it out. We decided to wait. (I'm glad that we did wait because by the time we did go to the dentist, permanent tooth number two was making it's appearance!) But not much wiggling took place over that next week and a half. We kept reminding D that if he didn't wiggle it out then the dentist was going to have to pull it out. It really wasn't motivating him at all. Well, reality finally set in for D the day before his appointment. All day I kept talking to him about his appointment and what they were going to do (which I later found out from my dental hygienist sister-in-law was maybe not the best idea - especially the part about the shot in his mouth) and he kept saying that he wasn't going to go! But how did we really know that reality had set in for D? Because this is where we found him the morning of his appointment...

"I'm NOT going to the dentist!!"

Well, he did in fact go and without any kicking or screaming. (Paul took him and I stayed home with the little boys.) At the appointment they gave him a little "happy gas" while he watched Cars (thank heavens they had it since it's the only movie he will watch). After the topical anesthetic was in effect they gave him several little tiny shots on his gums then the dentist came in and quickly pulled/twisted those little buggers out. Paul said D was nervous but he did so great - no crying at all. Such a brave kid! And all of his bravery paid off - in addition to the "boomerangs" he got from the dentist, on their way home they got milkshakes and went to Toys 'R' Us to get D a new Cars car!!! Now he'll never wiggle any of his teeth!!!

We all checked out his new space (and new teeth that you can really see now) lots of times after he got home. Even today (almost a week later) Lt will still stop D and ask to see his teeth.

Here's the hero after he got home. Can you see the big space on the bottom? No?? Okay, go to the next picture then...

Check THAT out!!

And check THESE out!! Kinda gross, I know. But kind of cool too.

And here's the man (looking pretty proud) holding his little treasure chest. (I remember getting those too when I was a kid, only pink!) He was soooooooooo excited to put his teeth under his pillow so the tooth fairy would leave him TWO coins (we've read Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist a few million times...Sister Bear gets a coin for her tooth). But then somehow as the day progressed he kept asking if the tooth fairy was going to leave him a present or a surprise. I was glad I could refer him back to the Berenstain Bears book to straighten him out!! He was so happy when he woke up the next morning and found two dollars under his pillow!! But I think he was a little disappointed that the tooth fairy didn't leave behind the little treasure chest...

Side note: I think it's pretty funny that D and Nono were cutting teeth at the same time. D thinks it is pretty funny too.