Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - Like pulling teeth...
I have heard this expression more times than I can count. I have USED this expression many times as well... But with the recent events in my house, I'm no longer sure of what it should mean.
Of my 5 children (so far) I have 3 that are of age to lose teeth, 1 that just got all of her teeth, and 1 who has yet to sport a tooth.
When my oldest, James, turned 5 he began to get a couple of wiggly teeth. In a few weeks they began to all but fall out on their own. It's like it didn't even phase him that they were loose... In fact 1 of them fell out while he was eating and there was already another poking through in it's place. He has always been nonchalant about the process, kinda that way in every aspect, a very laid back child for the most part.
My #2, Nicole, has always had problem teeth. I had a severe infection during pregnancy that required some heavy duty antibiotic that did awful things to her developing tooth buds before she was ever born. She had to have major dental work by the age of 3. She had three teeth pulled and caps and a couple of spacers put in all in one day. The nurses said she didn't make a peep through the whole procedure, such a brave girl! Several months ago she got her first wiggler and she babied that little tooth for months- I'm serious, months, before she would let us touch it. Finally one day I had to pull it. I was certain she would choke on it in her sleep. That little tooth was floppin' around in her mouth, just hanging on by a thread. I asked her to let me see it and she freaked on me! She screamed at me with a voice that sounded as if it were from the great beyond, or make that the not so great beyond if you catch my drift- YIKES!
She screamed, growled really, "NEVER! I'm NEVER GOING TO LET YOU TOUCH MY TOOTH!!", and then she took off running...
For those of you that don't know my precious Nicole, she is an absolute prissy-princess. The sweetest little doll you can imagine, so this behavior was shockingly out of character...
Her daddy chased her around the house and tried to grab that little holdout of a tooth and Nicole bit him. There was the sound of a spanking and they were both shouting. I feared that one of them wouldn't make it out of there...
Worried for my dh 
, I intervened... (obviously something I would not normally do)
I sat Nicole down and had a quiet talk with her about how we were only doing what we felt was best for her and that she needed to practice her self-control and let me get that tooth out of there. She cried and objected, she didn't want me to touch it because it would hurt... I told her that it might hurt, but I had to do it.
We prayed together and she apologized to her Daddy, and accepted his apology. I asked her to open her mouth and let me see the little trouble-maker.
I grabbed that little booger and kept a tight grip on it, knowing I would not easily get another chance. Just as I grabbed it, she yanked her head away in fear...
The tooth stayed with me.
Instantly she went from miserable to overflowing with pride. Reminds me of that instant you give birth and the pain is forgotten...
Yesterday, #3 woke up with the slight hint of her first wiggler. She pulled it herself within 4 hours. Last night she pulled another that wasn't even loose in my opinion. Just like her mamma!
(I have always been the one to face a challenge head on.)
So now I'm certain I will never use or hear the phrase "...like pulling teeth" quite the same way again... Does it mean easy as pie as James has taught me, mission impossible as Nicole has shown, or maybe jumping in with both feet as Gace has done?
hmmmmm.....
What I do know is that the Lord has delightfully surprised me with the uniqueness in each of my children. No cookie cutters in this bunch!
Thank you Lord for everyday surprising me with your creativity!
There's never a dull moment here!
Comments
Saturday, April 22, 2006 - teeth
Posted by Anonymous
I love how you went from teeth into how unique each of your children is! We haven't reached the loose teeth stage yet - as you and I have talked about before. I'm afraid I'm more like your Nicole though, I had a hard time pulling my own teeth, I can't even imagine trying to help my kids with theirs! Maybe my husband will be better at it than me - however, if not you might find visitors on your doorstep when the loose-teeth age reaches us! :) I can almost imagine myself taking my child to the DENTIST for a problem tooth, before I can imagine pulling it myself! Can you imagine how humiliating that would be?
Anyway, may we ALWAYS see the precious uniqueness of our children in all areas - thank you for that reminder!
Saturday, April 22, 2006 - Just give me a call!
Posted by tallenmomof5
I can see that happening in a year or so, hee,hee,hee!
Seriously, I know the Lord will give you strength to handle each new stage...Ten years ago I never thought I'd be able to change dirty diapers or wipe up baby puke without gagging, and look at me now!
';sdfkl sfklasd' 'as;as' a;sldfka;sd!!
I can't imagine ever leaving the house without a spit-up stain on my shoulder!! That color goes so well with everything! ROFLOL!!
Love you girl!