I have dreaded today for an entire week knowing that the boys had to get their cavities filled. I just knew it would be chaos. And full of tears from the Doodle Bop for sure.
Ever have one of those days when you are proven completely wrong?
The chaos we still had. Dropping the kids off at Vacation Bible School this morning I reminded everyone what time I would pick them up for the dentist. Only to have Al tell me shortly after that the dentist asked if we could come in a half hour earlier. Picking up the boys even earlier than planned sent the Big Guy into a teary eyed mess. He did not want to leave. (This is the same kid that cried 3 days ago because he didn't want to go by the way.)
We get to the dentist exactly a half hour early as requested and the girls behind the counter give me a sympathetic smile as one says Thanks so much for coming in early! Unfortunately the dentist is now running behind. And something about how they would be with us as soon as they could.
Totally wanted to scream.
The boys sat down. The Big Guy was still full on complaining. I caved in and passed out the new coloring packets with stickers and markers I picked up from Target specifically for today. The ones I was not going to whip out until all hell broke loose. Close enough.
They were done coloring even before the appointment.
When it was finally the Bunny Bee's turn, I walked him in and he burst into full on tears. When the girl showed him a tool and said it was not a needle he started shaking. It was awful. We finally get him calmed down and I go to the waiting room. Longest 15 minutes ever. He starts crying again. Loudly. Hysterical tears. This child didn't even need Novocain. He was only getting a tiny spot - without a drill - touched up because the cavity was barely there. Which led to the Doodle Bop freaking out in the waiting room.
After he was finished I begged him to look at his brother and tell him it really was not bad, that he was OK. He shook his head and clutched his stuffed doggy. Then he looked at the Doodle Bop and burst into tears again. It hurt. it hurt. It really hurt! And with that he curled up into a ball in a waiting room chair and cried harder.
Oh dear God.
Walking the Doodle Bop down the hall felt like we were heading down death row. I pretty much had to put him in the chair and his eyes were filling up with tears. When I accidentally bumped into the tray with all of the tools on it, he was suddenly fascinated...asking all the names. I told him we would have to ask the dentist because I didn't know. And with that the dentist came in and started telling him what was what. I sat in the waiting room and held my breath for the tears. This child would not only get Novocain on both sides of his mouth, but I knew it would take forever to fill his 2 cavities when he started to fall apart.
But it never happened.
And when it was done? That child bounced out of the chair all smiles and told me that it didn't hurt a bit. The dentist asked if he had mixed up the boys, that he thought I said the Bunny Bee was going first because he would have an easy time and the Doodle Bop would fall apart. No, you didn't mix it up! I told him. I would have bet actual MONEY that it would go down like that.
The Doodle Bop sat there all smiles, took two cavities getting filled like a champ ... without any Novocain. The one who is always glued to me. The first to get upset over the smallest things.
But it was the Bunny Bee that fell apart. The class clown always looking for attention. The one who acts like he doesn't need me all that much.
It was then that I thought about how the boys certainly surprise me sometimes. The Doodle Bop is the quiet one. But every once in a while he talks a blue streak to anyone who will listen. At my sister's wedding reception the boys had to walk out together to be introduced. It was the Doodle Bop dragging the other two out with the biggest grin on his face to my surprise. When the Bunny Bee got sick and missed school I thought the Doodle Bop would fall apart without him - instead it was the other way around.
I tried to use this as a learning experience for all of the boys when we left the dentist. This is why we need to take really good care of our teeth. They have to be brushed really good all the time so this doesn't happen again! OK? The Big Guy said he never wanted that to happen to him. The Bunny Bee was crying again and nodding yes. The Doodle Bop? Mommy it wasn't that bad. It really didn't hurt.
Two out of three learned a lesson I suppose. Just not the exact two I was thinking would.
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