First Trip to the Dentist

Eli visited the dentist for the first time this morning. We chose a pediatric dentist near the house that came recommended by a friend. (They don't need to see Maddux until she's 3.) I prepped Eli in the last week, telling him that the dentist is a doctor for teeth. We also role-played a few nights after his bath by having Eli lie down on the couch while I brushed his teeth and pretended to count them. By the time today rolled around, the kid was downright excited! This morning I broke the news to him that Maddux and I would not be able to go back to the chair with him, but other kids would be back there with the doctor at the same time.

"Will God be wiff me, protecting me?", he asked. I assured him He would, but not to worry; the dentist was nice. (No need to be protected.)

When the time came, Eli went right through the door with the hygienist. There was a lengthy tooth-chipping procedure that went in right before us, so Eli had to wait in the back for quite some time before the dentist could see him. Maddie and I were getting antsy in the waiting room (it was over an hour!), but the staff assured me that Eli was fine. In fact, he was entertaining everyone: kids and adults. He chose cotton candy fluoride and grape toothpaste, both of which he liked. Then he got to pick out a toothbrush, a floss pick, and a toy from the drawer. He chose two caterpillar/worm things. The dentist came out to speak to me after Eli was done: clean bill of health. All teeth, baby and permanent, are lined up nicely. Everyone commented again on Eli's sweet demeanor before we left - something I can never hear too much of!

As soon as we got home Eli ran upstairs and started playing with Elmo. Eli was the dentist and Elmo was the patient. Eli brushed his teeth and used tweezers to count the pearly whites. In recent days Eli has been attaching a variety of roles to his stuffed animals. Most recently, Big Elmo is the daddy, Little Elmo is the baby (as are Sam and Baa), and the polar bear is the Mommy. This morning Eli told me that the mommy was going to go to work.

"But don't worry!", he told me, rather quickly. "The daddy is staying home."