Our first trip to the dentist...

We have a FANTASTIC children's dentist. When Drew chipped one of his front teeth last year, we took him to Dr. Beam in Riverside. They were so great then that we decided to return when we were prepared for dental cleanings.

Here's what we found when we arrived...

video games to play

{the boys could actually reach the controls this time}

a huge fish tank filled with Dorie & Nemo fish [and friends]

{this was a new addition - definitely going for a Finding Nemo theme}

Once the appointment was made, we tried to get the boys excited about this new experience. Every night when we'd brush their teeth they had to "open wide" like they would for the dentist. The were so eager to do something "different" and asked every night, "are we going to the dentist tomorrow?" This went on for about three weeks. It was cute to see the positive anticipation for what I knew would seem like a nightmare to them.

I was all prepared with horsies {favorite stuffed animals}, sunglasses {idea I got from Jon & Kate + 8), and superhero shirts. My expectations were not very high. I expected lots of crying and wailing and the boys certainly didn't disappoint.

Since Eric had to work, I flew solo on this mission with our darling pre-schoolers. Talk about fun. The hygienists were FABULOUS. While one girl took x-rays, the other one entertained {distracted}. They were super friendly, extra patient, and were only concerned with keeping the boys happy. I so want to be like them when I grow up. :)

I had to sit in the seat with a huge vest on so the boys could get "pictures" of their teeth. Brandon wasn't thrilled about putting the film in his mouth, but cooperated between screams. Drew, having been bribed with a toy {or two} during Brandon's ordeal, was no dummy. He knew as soon as Brandon got off my lap that it was his turn. He tried to make a run for the door. He screamed and cried {while shaking his finger}, "no, no, no!" After fighting to get all the x-rays taken, SUCCESS! It only took a sucker and 3 stickers each {Superman for Brandon & Batman for Drew} - how convenient.

Once the x-rays were finished we headed over to the exam chairs. I wish I would have remembered to take my camera out again to show what a kid friendly place this was. I guess I was too busy trying to coerce the boys into the chair for their cleaning/exam. There were two chairs with all the standard equipment, but on the ceiling above each one was a flat screen TV playing a movie. Once again, the hygienists came to the rescue. They showed the boys all the tools they were going to use and how the worked and actually made it seem like fun. They played with the "water gun," the "air blower," and even the "sucker." The girls let the boys squirt the water into their {the girls'} mouths, from a good 3 feet away - that's either brave or crazy. Then the boys discovered they could "fly." One of the girls started blowing air on their capes and they were on cloud 9 pretending to fly around. That's definitely a picture I wish I would have captured. It was so cute.

When it came down to business the boys were still apprehensive to sit in the chair. So one of the girls though it would be a good idea if the boys could see another little kid getting their teeth cleaned. They got to peek in on a little girl about a year older than them getting a few fillings {they stopped drilling while we were watching} to see that she wasn't crying and the dentist wasn't going to hurt them. That didn't really work.

The hygienist finally conceded and said that we didn't have to do the cleaning or exam and they'd just hope the boys would be up to it on their next visit in 6 months. I told her to just strap 'em down and get it over with. I knew they would cry, but I also knew that they'd be over it by the time we walked out the door. She probably thought I was the meanest mom on the planet, but hey, I know how my boys' brains work.

Needless to say, there was more wailing and gnashing of teeth, but we finished with well-polished {and flossed} teeth. The dentist said all their biting surfaces were sealed and reported ZERO cavities. What a relief! The only bad news is that Drew has to go back to get his chipped tooth pulled. It's just floating around, is discolored, and will, in the near-future, get infected and need to be pulled anyway. So, we're better off getting it pulled sooner rather than later. That appointment is set for April. Eric will get to stay home with Brandon while I take Drew for that.

Since we had a successful visit, the boys each got to pick a movie from the cabinet. We came home with Finding Nemo and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles {the original}. SWEET! They also got a bag with a new toothbrush, toothpaste, & flossers, and of course, got to raid the toy drawer again. I think we left the dentist with 5 toys each.

I was right about the boys forgetting about their horrible ordeal. Within a few hours they were talking about the dentist and what they did there. They acknowledged the crying, but weren't terrified when I told them we'd be back in 6 months. {Poor Drew doesn't know about his special day to get the tooth pulled - that will NOT be a fun day at all}.