Dentist Visits~

The bitty girls went last Friday and big kids today~

Not a single cavity and that's something to celebrate!
It was Calla's first cleaning, and she was SO excited!
Great dentist visits!

Terrific Tuesday~ {Teatime & Teeth}

Tuesday is our Poetry Teatime, and we had Chinese tea with cookies on nice dishes~

 Everyone was inspired to draw and paint beautiful pages~

This afternoon we had six dentist appointments, and we had 120 healthy teeth~

Definitely a Terrific Tuesday!!!

120 Healthy Teeth~

All six littles went for their dental appt today~

and all 120+/- teeth were healthy!!!

That makes our family super happy!

We celebrated with lollipops when we got home. :)

Dentist Visits~

Over the last couple of weeks all 6 kids have visited the dentist

and all 120 teeth were healthy!

Today Evie and Holly had their very first cleaning~

 and they were both SO brave...

a huge deal with the extreme anxiety Evie has suffered but now all gone!

Holly jumped in the chair first and her many faces were priceless~

 Next was Evie and she was SO proud of herself~

We LOVE Dr. Grizzle~

 and they had to take a look at their pearly whites on the way home!

For school, I printed photos of their visit~

We glued into journals and wrote words... memory recorded forever.

A Dental Day~

Today was Dental Day for all 5 littles to have their teeth cleaned.

I was SO blessed that my niece Jessica chose to spend the day with us!!!

We all arrived @ 10... boys went first and teeth were perfect!

THEN it was EK and SJ's turn... 

SJ had no cavitities but did have to get an appliance placed {big tears!}.

EK had an abscess that would need extracting {giant tears}.

Thankful Jessica was with us to hang with the boys.

Scott had to come from work to be with EK and SJ.

THEN it was Evie's turn... her FIRST cleaning ever {big and giant tears}~

 Thankful I was able to hold her through the whole thing with minimal screaming~

SO scared she was getting a 'shock' {shot}.

We left Dr. Lugas' office 3 hours later with 5 mouths of healthy teeth!

AND this is what Evie looked like from a day without her nap~

WHEW! Glad to be back home and no where to go tomorrow!!!

Thank you Dr. Lugas and staff for taking care of our family!
And thank you Jessica for spending the day with us... SO beautiful because of YOU!!!

Thankful Day 13 {Fillings and Pokes}~

May have noticed I've missed a couple of posts...

Life. :)

Also may seem my Thankfuls are just plain everyday things.

 Living 1 Thessalonians 5:18~

Give thanks in all circumstances; 

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Today I am Thankful for Dental care where my children get fillings and impressions for appliances needed~

and blood work ordered by our awesome pediatrician.  

Because it is such major day, we have lunch with a friend {Sheryl and Linzi}~

Score fun $1 prizes from Target~

See the big Christmas tree, Bookstore visit, Cosco, and dinner with Josh and Nan~

Thankful Indeed! 

A Sweet Monday~

Mondays are sometimes our most challenging day but today was a pretty sweet one.

PC&SJ had dentist appt... filling and spacer respectively.

They both were awesome and we were in and out in an hour~

 Scott was able to meet us for lunch and the littles voted for Steak'n'Shake so that's where we went. 

As usual we drew attention to many people around us... 

amazed with our children and we were happy to share our story!

Today after we finished eating Scott and the boys made their way up to pay for our meal. He handed the check to the manager and he told us a man in the restaurant had picked up our tab. He just happened to still be there so we all went over to thank him. Just the nicest man all alone and told us he wanted to treat us to lunch because it is seldom he eats near a family with so many kids that are so well behaved. Complimented them on all staying in their chairs and just taking care of themselves. Thankful!!!

I left there to meet a sweet friend with boys who shared this Sweet blessing with our boys~

 Thank you Michelle Howell!!!

This how we all felt when we rolled back into home today~

Tickled pink for this Sweet Monday!!!

A BRAVE little girl~

When SJ became our daughter in August of 2010, she came to us with a TOF heart defect {which we knew about} and lots of needed dental work {which we didn't know about}. We knew she would need heart surgery pretty soon but had no idea that on the third day home she would have a TET spell and we would be off to Egleston for open heart. 

Given that turn of events it would be a while before the dental work could be taken care of but finally after about 6 months we met with specialist at CHOA and scheduled extensive dental surgery: 7 crowns and a root canal all done under anesthesia. The thought being we would save the teeth as long as possible and face future issues as they came.

Over the last 3 years, she has had now four of the crowned teeth pulled due to abscesses. Yesterday when we went to the dentist for routine cleaning they found her latest abscess and scheduled the extraction for two weeks away but during the day and night, she cried and cried {anxiety over the pending procedure}.

 I thought it was mostly about the shots and pain but when we boiled it all down it was about me having to leave her in the room. There was no way we were going to worry over this for two weeks so when I called Dr. Lugus this morning they agreed to bring her in and get it over with!!! Thankful!

For some reason our kids are scared of the tooth fairy so Hermie, our Elf on the Shelf has always come when we pulled a tooth. Today I decided it might be good if he traveled with us so low and behold, he was in my purse when we arrived at the dentist. SJ was SO happy to see him and he really eased her mind walking in.

It didn't take long for the ease to wear away and reality set in~

I was able to stay with her the entire time except for the moment they actually pulled the tooth. 

I think they thought I might pass out. :) All in all she did awesome!!! 

Nurse showing her the tooth.

 We didn't waste a minute getting out of there and heading to Toys R Us for a surprise. On the way she didn't know her bloody drool was running down her neck (numb face) drenching her white shirt. I thought two minutes about buying her a clean one but decided that was a waste so we rolled it under and continued our mission~

I am not kidding that she walked every! single! aisle! of the store looking at every! single! thing! and after one hour we found the perfect thing in the way back... a Peppa Pig house and car. To be honest, I would have walked around with her three hours after what she had just been through!

{Funny side note: we have always thought SJ sounded like Peppa with her British accent and certain words SJ pronounces:}

We made it home fine and she has had a great evening playing with her sibs and new toys. {didn't I just say earlier this week we didn't need any more toys! ha}

Tonight as she went down for the night I was talking to her about the day. I told her what a BRAVE little girl she was and ALL she had to think about tonight was what she would PLAY tomorrow {she lit up like a light bulb}... NO boo boos and no traveling!

Excited about Free Friday!!!

 

A Day of Appointments~

Four of the littles had dental cleanings today with this being WP and PC's very first. They were rock stars!!! The girls tried to be but just have different levels of anxiety plus the boys haven't been through all the dental work like the girls~

All in all it was a good appt with just one big moment of anxiety for SJ... another abscess that has to be extracted. 

She was very upset even tonight as she was going to sleep~

 Evie kept saying 'No doctor Mom, No doctor.' 

She warmed up to everyone pretty soon and came home with a bag of goodies.  

We grabbed lunch on the go and then me and Rosie had eye appts~

Evie went back with me and enjoyed taking selfies as we waited.

Yes I need glasses for near and far~ progressive they call them.

Excited to get them in a week and maybe I can stop the squinting or back and forth paper reading. :)

A very long Day of Appointments and thankful to be back home safe and sound!
{Savannah came home with us for a few days!}

Hermie's Coming... again~

Yes, Hermie comes when someone loses a tooth or in this case has one pulled.

Sweet Joy had another abscessed tooth and we had it checked today knowing full well what we would find out~

 I just can't put into words how much it breaks me to hear her crying for me and I can't protect her from the happy gas, shots, and extraction.

Thankfully she immediately climbs into my arms and wants me to hold her... needing security and love!

I am amazed how well she handles the numbness and trauma she endures.

Of course we made our Target run where she chose a Barbie vet set and I totally thought we would head straight home but we grabbed lunch and SJ was adamant we follow through with our plans to the library.

She is sound asleep dreaming of Hermie and feeling much better since her sick tooth is in its tooth box and not her mouth!

Thanks Dr. Lugas... once again!

Not Exactly Planned~

Dental visits are one thing on our trauma list and today was cleaning day.

Up until today, we have had big cries and fear before and during.

While driving to Dr. Lugus' office, I had a long talk with all three about the simplicity of the visit...

xrays(?), count, clean, flouride, OUT of there.

We've been there before, know everyone, and there would be no ouchies.

 EVERYONE did fantasic! Not. One. Single. Tear.

This was WP's first visit and he was perfect!

All clear until they discovered a little ulcer above EK's silver tooth.

OH NO! An abscess at that tooth and a cavity on another tooth.

What to do? Come back and 2pm for a filling and extraction. :(

Not Exactly what we had Planned!

We were happy to make our lunch date with my new precious friend Shelia and her girls~

Our kids hit it off famously~

Which helped take EK's mind off what was coming next.

Thank you Sheila!!!

We headed back to dr and EK faced her uncomforable visit like a champ.

If you have to have it done... Dr. Lugus is the best!

I was able to stay with her the whole time, talking to her and rubbing her legs.

After that is was straight to Target for a surprise~ totally deserved!

Thankful she is in bed sleeping soundly tonight with no dental visits in sight.

PS. Looking forward to a Hermie visit tonight! :)

 

Out and About...

We were out and about

first thing this morning headed to Atlanta

to take EK for her dental cleaning.

She did GREAT!

Afterwards, I needed a few school things from here~

and decided to shoot a few photos to remember the day for EK~

(just look at that beautiful smile)

and to let everyone know we have an appointment

scheduled for SJ's heart cath on

Friday, February 11...

a very special day in her life's story.

On February 11, 2010,

we sent in our LOI(letter of intent) for this little baby

way across the world in Fujian, China.

Who would have guessed exactly one year later

she would be going back for her second heart procedure?

God has been with us every step of the way so far

and He is NOT going to leave us now.

Thank you for your prayers as we prepare for 2/11/11.

Psalm 126:3

The LORD has done great things for us,
and we are filled with JOY.