Well That Was Easy

My girls were scheduled for a dentist appointment. My five year old LOVES going to the Doctor or Dentist. I can't really pinpoint the reason why, but she loves these appointments. I think she likes having "plans", and she just loves social outings in general. She is always very engaging with the office staff and she loves to be big deal. She enjoys interacting with adults. Also, she LOVES band-aids. She's the type of girl who comes home from school with a new band-aid at least once a week. A blood-less, phantom paper cut is a fantastic opportunity to try out a shiny new band-aid! This is the kid you don't mind taking to the doctor or the dentist. Her excitement makes it fun. She's easy, she behaves.

Lyla, on the other hand, isn't game for this stuff. She is the kid who panics at the sight of the parking lot at the doctors office. She is not one to be tricked. She almost NEVER goes to the doctor. She would have to be pretty darn sick for me to even consider taking her in. She is the kid who mainly goes in for her yearly "well child" exams and even those are enough to bring out her doctor rage. She is the kid who recently told her doctor, "Don't look at me! DON'T LOOOOOK ATTTTT MEEEEE!" as she tried to kick him in the face and junk repeatedly. It's probably no surpriseat all that she is also a giant freak show at the dentist. She tells me ahead of time, "I be freak show at dentist". I wouldn't take her at all if I didn't already have an appointment for Sasha. The way I see it, watching her sister behave and have a pleasant experience, is the best way to calm her nerves about the going to these appointments. So when I knew we had a Monday appointment, we decided to start talking her into it a week ahead of time. Sasha and I repeatedly discussed how exciting it is to see the dentist, get a teeth cleaning with the "fancy" toothbrush and how great it is to pick out a brand new tooth brush! Lyla was started to get on board. By Monday morning she seemed fine about going to the dentist. She wasn't excited, but I thought she would at least not kick and scream. At 1:30 we walked into the dentist office and Lyla was uncharacteristically sweet and cooperative. She did EVERYTHING they asked her to do. They even got X-rays! She didn't bite, she didn't shed a tear. It was WONDERFUL! At the end of the appointment, her dentist asked me the dreaded question...."Does she still use a Binky, because her teeth don't really close together? She has a Binky bite." I shamefully had to admit that I've let her sleep with her Binky and he said very sternly that we have to get rid of it ASAP. He looked right at Lyla and told her to go home, get it out of her bed and throw it in the garbage. He also told her, "You're to much of a big girl for a babies Binky." So we get home and she goes directly to her room, retrieves her beloved Binky and marches down to the kitchen to throw it away. There was no emotion at all. She just threw it in the garbage and said, "Yucky Binky. I too big for that." And that was it. Naturally I was a bit skeptical about this "good riddance" act of hers. I hoped it would be the end of the Binky era, but I was not looking forward to the night ahead. I prepared by making her skip her nap, that way she'd be good and sleepy at 7:30. I got her ready for bed, and put her down. I gave her an extra "pet" to sleep with and walked out. 15 easy minutes later, she was asleep. She woke up the next morning and immediately asked if we could get the Binky out of the trash.....no was the answer she received and I haven't heard another word about it since. That was so easy! Is our dentist a magician with words or what?