Friday, April 25, 2008

Leader of the Plaque


Two doctors in two days - who woulda thunk life could get so good.

I got the call from the daycare yesterday as I was putting the Little Guy down for a nap at 12pm. I ignore the phone at nap times, preferring sleeping children over contact with the outside world. But when my cell goes off right after the phone stops ringing, I start to panic. I raced to the phone and thought I called my voicemail, but instead hit the recall button. The daycare answered and asked would I come get the Boy? It's not a medical emergency, but his eye looks pretty pink, and they're not medical doctors or anything but it's probably pink eye. Crap. Uh, I mean sugar. I thought the Boy's eye looked a slightly pinkish that morning. (And before you all think I'm that mother who sends her kid to daycare with pink eye, I'm not. Well, I guess I am, technically, but I didn't know it was pink eye! The kid gets up at some gods-unholy hour, often because he's been awakened by the loud creak of someone trying to creep past his door unheard with a baby who gets up even earlier than he does, and his eyes are often reddish-tinged from lack of sleep. I didn't know! I don't know how I missed it. I suck.)

So we spent the afternoon schlepping to the doctor's office. Conjuctivitis. Drops for the eyes and no daycare tomorrow. I also used the opportunity to get myself and the baby looked at. I have a sinus infection! The Little Guy has a bad cold! If Mr Earth wasn't out of town, we could have confirmed that he has a cold too. Yes, in fact, we do have the plague. The instructions for the eye drops suggest putting them in while the child is sleeping. Yeeaahhh...like THAT'S a good idea.

We spent today indoors laying low. We made a quick trip to the store to get diapers, but other than that we did a whole lot of nothing. I had five blissful minutes when both boys were asleep at the same time. Then the Little Guy woke up. Late in the afternoon, we had to go down to the Village for the Boy's first dentist appointment. I didn't cancel, cause he'd been on the eye medication for 24 hrs, and the dentist would be wearing gloves anyways.

Of course, the ONE TIME today that we actually had somewhere to go and something to do, the Little Guy decides to nap. He hasn't slept past 1pm all week (and has been none too happy as a result CAUSE HE'S TIRED), and he goes down for a nap about an hour before I have to feed him and go. I even caught him waking up and putting himself back to sleep. Unaided. Finally, I had to go in and make some noise to get the party started.

Because we were on the late side, and the Boy tends to drag his feet when being made to walk anywhere, I made up some silly story that if we didn't hurry, the dragon at the dentist's office would come out and get us. Bad idea, Nomo. The Boy kept asking about "the dentist dragon". Where was it? What does it eat? The dentist was none too impressed when he brought it up in the chair. I think she thought I compared her a dragon. Oops!

The Boy was okay in the chair. Just a few whimpers of "Mummy", and a refusal to lie back. The dentist counted his teeth: 20. Good? Bad? I have no idea how many teeth you're supposed to have. She gave him a new Cars toothbrush and asked him to show her how he brushed his teeth. Eventually, I had to do it because he wouldn't. They were very impressed with my brushing technique. Thank you! I've had 35 years of practice. I've become quite adept. It was also the ONLY time the Boy has allowed me to brush his teeth without a fight. I think we'll go there to brush his teeth all the time.

Of course, I just had to take a picture of our first trip to the dentist, because they didn't think I was enough of a weirdo after the whole dentist dragon debacle:

Give me the toothbrush and back away, lady.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hehehe...I've done the "dragon" story many times and as soon as I've said it I was thinking what am I doing???
I still haven't taken Samantha to the dentist yet, guess I'll have to do that soon.
That picture is priceless!

kittenpie said...

It seems to me they do the tooth count to get the kid to hold theuir mouth open so they can take a look around and tap each tooth. We have to go to the dentist soon, too - speaking of which, I better move that appointment next Thursday to a time when I CAN make it...

mamatulip said...

Oliver has a Cars toothbrush too. That thing will have no bristles left and he'll still want to brush with it.

Sorry about the pinkeye. Pinkeye is the worst.

Tania said...

Our Hello Kitty toothbrush has not one, but TWO spinning heads! We'd be screwed without it as Pumpkin won't open her mouth for a regular brush.

painted maypole said...

of course you took a pictures. between scrapbooking and blogging i take pictures of just about everything!

hope everyone feels better soon!

Woman in a Window said...

Um, is that the dentist in the background and is she of an Asian ethnic background? Dragon...Asia...might explain the reaction. Maybe thought you were steriotyping? Ah, no! That's something I'd do! Speaking of which, I did send my 5 year old to school with pink eye once. And I ran a daycare in the past!!! I should have known better and I was shamed for it. He was on medication and officially after 24 hours he wasn't supposed to be infectious but they had none of that!

Woman in a Window said...

And going to the dentist is such a badge of honour, isn't it? He's a cutie!

Mad said...

Miss M had pink eye at Christmas. We left it forever b/c nothing but the ER was open. Ug. Once we got the drops into her she was fine in no time.

We still need to schedule her first dentist appointment. I must get on that. Last night I made the mistake of saying, "the dentist will be mad at you if don't brush your teeth." Great. Now she's gonna really want to go see and angry dentist.

BlocksofStone said...

Pink eye sucks, but once treated, it does clear up fast. The Boy looks so cute in the dentist chair. I can't wait to see him again.

Kyla said...

Oh man. One time KayTar got pink eye, and I think I still have nightmares about giving her the eye drops.

And she is badly in need of her first dental visit. With all the other specialists and such, the teeth have gotten the shaft, I'm afraid.

KC said...

Been there, done that...with the sent-home-with-The-Pink-Eye (that wasn't really pink eye. long story. grrr.) And the first dentist visit a few weeks ago. (20 is good. A full complement for now.)

Fun times. Fun times.

Beck said...

I think EVERY kid has to go through their round with pink eye. It's narsty.
Poor little guy.