Dentist Miracle

I took Veronica to the dentist yesterday.  Mike took her for her first appointment a few weeks ago, he took Anthony for a checkup on his extraction, and Maria and Veronica had regular checkups.  So what they do at this pediatric dentist, is give you an estimate of what it's going to cost.  I forget what it was going to be for Veronica, because they estimate it for everyone, but it was a LOT.  It was like $1600 or something, because I remember thinking it would be like $3,000 before all was said and done, including Anthony's work.  One of the costs they estimated was for sedation, because I guess she was such a freak during just the checkup.

So all week it was bugging me, I couldn't stand the thought of them sedating that three year old!  Anthony was VERY rough coming up from that sedation, he was crying and so upset, for hours.  If Veronica had it, Mike would have to stay home from work because there's no way I could stay with her and watch the baby.  Also, Veronica has ballet on Fridays and she really likes it, they don't have it next week because of Thanksgiving and I just hated for her to miss it two weeks in a row.  So I told Mike I'd take her to her appointment and just talk to them about it there.

I walked in and checked in - oh this was funny - I haven't been there in a long time, because Mike's been taking them.  He takes Anthony to school and the dentist is right near there, so it's usually him.  It was on the third floor, I knew, but I stopped short at the elevator because I wasn't sure where to go from there.  Veronica took off and said, over her shoulder, "it's over HERE, Mommy!  TO THE LEFT!".  Ha!  Anyway, we went in and they said "has she had anything to eat or drink, MOM?".  I hate when people other than my four children call me mom, fyi.  I said no she hasn't but I want to talk to the dentist, because I don't think I want her sedated.  It's so crazy when you tell any medical professionals that you are going to do something different than they tell you to do.  All of them get the exact same "WHAT?" look in their eyes, no one can BELIEVE you are daring to question the DOCTOR.  In this case, the DOCTOR is a DENTIST, so forgive me if I don't bow down and act like you're a neurosurgeon who went to Harvard.

So we waited, we had a tea party in the waiting room, Veronica was in very good spirits.  I had talked to her about it and I said she could either be made to go to sleep when she had her teeth worked on, and not go to ballet, OR she could just lie down and do what the doctor said, and then she could go to ballet and we would get her a prize and blah blah blah.  The assistant came to get us and she said "now, she's had nothing to eat or drink since midnight, right MOM?" and I said, well, I TOLD the woman up front, but no she hasn't but I'd like to talk to the dentist about it because I don't know if we want to do it.  That woman didn't even say anything!  How SHOCKED she must have been, to not even SAY SOMETHING!  People make me mad.  So we went into the kitchen, where there were permission slips and the medicine all out, just like I HADN'T SAID ANYTHING.  But then the dentist came in, Dr. Kevin, his name is, and he was really, really nice.  I said how I was concerned, blah blah blah and he said "do we have three year olds that can do it?  Yes!  Are there many of them?  NO!".  He said I could stay there and I had to be a 'silent observer', because it can be confusing for a kid when the dentist is saying one thing and the assistant one thing and a mother braying away.  So I said fine, I just wanted to tell Veronica how it was going to be and have it actually be that way.

We went in the room and she started to get tense right away, but I just talked to her and she lay down and started watching the Barbie movie she picked out.  The assistant put a mask of sorts on her with nitris oxide, but it was hard because it was way too big.  She said it was the smallest size but Veronica is a peanut and everything is slightly big on her.  I could see her relaxing from the nitris, at one point she even sort of slung one leg over the other, ha!  It took forever, as usual, for the dentist to come in and she did start to cry a little bit, but she just - stopped and did what he said.  It took a long time, much longer than it took when I took Anthony, but I don't think I realized how fast she did Anthony's.

Oh!  I'm forgetting that they were going to seal the other teeth, like all the other teeth in her head so she didn't get any more cavities.  I said why would we seal baby teeth? and the dentist said that she had 'deep grooves' in her teeth and those are more susceptible to cavities.  Now.  I don't want to call anyone a money grubbing scumbag, but what?  WHAT?  Do baby teeth have deep grooves?  Or just my kids' teeth?  I said my husband and I had more run of the mill, NORMAL teeth, so we were unfamiliar with these deep grooved teeth.  I said that the last year had been kind of crazy at our house, particularly in the morning and at night, and that we are re-committing to teeth care and I wanted to see if that would help our situation so if we could wait, I'd like to.  So he said fine.  Sheesh.

Anyways, he filled them and the assistant - I guess he just drilled them and the assistant filled them and then we were finished!  I can't believe how proud I was of her.  She was really amazing, miraculous, even.  It just goes to show that you can't judge a person by just one facet of their personality.  Veronica is kind of a wussy, she will cry for 20 minutes because she has her feelings hurt, but she is also really tough and a hard worker and she definitely proved it yesterday.  I felt really vindicated as a mother, and I am not kidding when I say that has almost never happened to me the whole TIME I've been a mother, so I was glad for it.  Then we went to ballet, and out to lunch, and all day she was so proud of herself, it really was a great day.

Halloween

Veronica was a fairy for Halloween, Bloom from the Winx Club, to be exact, but that rat fink didn't wear her wig, even though I combed it all out perfectly - PERFECTLY - the night before, but whatever, she looked super cute.  She was also willing to wear her tights and a long sleeved shirt under her costume, unlike a certain sister I know, so I appreciate that.  Here's her picture:

She's pretty, right?  She is so sweet.  She is kind of a kook, I have to say.  You know how she leans on the table like she does?  She and Maria call it 'getting her air out' and she has been getting her air out a LOT lately.  It's funny to hear Mike say, "Veevsy, you're going to have to get your air out later, we have to go!".  I hope it's something she outgrows, or at least I hope she finds a more subtle way to get her air out than to perch on the corner of a table, ha!

She has really been yapping away this week, yap yap yap yap YAP!  Today she made me go in the big room outside of Maria's ballet and she told me SHE was the teacher and WE were pretending to be pigs, so lay down here, Mommy, and OINK!  She told me to grand jete, and to turn and when I did it, she said "that's not right!".  She is bossy but it's so cute, she is really finding her way.  She loves school and her best friend this year is named Rosie.  Some day maybe I'll post something else about her but mostly she is my real heart girl and I am madly in love with her.

Firsts

Veronica went to NJ for the first time last week, she also went to the ER for the first time!  Actually, I have taken her to the ER twice before, but both times we left before we were treated.  One time she burned her hands on my straightener and another time she poked her eye with a fork but she was fine.  This time, she had a fever of 102 and croup and she was coughing and coughing and not breathing well.  I was so worried she was turning blue or something but I couldn't see because we were lying down in the dark.  It was a crazy, crazy visit to the hospital.  We went to the hospital in which I was born, it was ROUGH. They took her temperature rectally, they had to give her a Tylenol suppository because she wasn't willing to take it orally (that's two bum invasions, for those counting!), I held her for the breathing treatment but the nurse threatened her that SHE was going to hold her if she didn't behave herself, sheesh!  We all coerced her into drinking her the steroid, in apple juice, and right before we left she vomited all over both of us.  She threw up all over my sweatshirt but I couldn't take it off because I was only wearing the tshirt that I had gone to bed in.  It was an experience, but as usual, I was grateful to walk in and walk out of the hospital.  They ended up giving her a steroid shot and although we had to go home early, she really has recovered well.

Before she got sick, we had a great time!  Veronica really loved the beach - she didn't fly into the ocean the way Maria did, but she wasn't scared, either.

Veronica enjoyed visiting my cousin Lisa in PA on the way in.  Lisa's daughter Sasha was super nice to her younger sister and young cousins, Veronica had a high old time playing with their stuff.

And of course we ended our trip down the shore with some ice cream.  Veronica really branched out and got black raspberry with rainbow sprinkles, or jimmies, as we called them when I was little.  Except for her sickness, she was a great travel companion.  They both tried so hard to be good and they were plucky as hell as we drug them around the great state of NJ.  They are good and sweet girls and I was really proud of them.

School

Veronica is back in preschool and she is loving every minute of it!  She is so funny, I go to get her and she's super happy to see me, she wants to hang on my leg and wants me to carry her.  Maria is all, CAN I GO OUTSIDE CAN I GO TO DAIRY QUEEN WHERE ARE WE GOING? but Veronica is just 'hold me'.  My friend Kristin was in town this weekend from Alabama and she was describing Veronica to friends of ours and she loved Veronica.  She loved all of them, of course, but especially Veronica.  She's a sweetheart!

Anyway, she has a friend named Rosie in school.  Today Rosie was getting her lunchbox right when we were getting Veronica's and Veronica sort of sneakily pointed her out to me.  "Mommy", she said, "that's ROSIE!".  It's so funny, how far a person comes in one year, right?  Last year she was fine going to preschool, but she took a nap, she had her little babydoll at first, she wasn't potty trained, she didn't really make friends, she was still in speech therapy.  This year, she not only doesn't nap at school but sometimes not even in the car when we go to get Anthony AND she stays up til 8:30, she is potty trained, she is ... I dare say vivacious and social!

Tonight Mike and I were watching tv and BOOM! we heard someone crash to the floor upstairs.  I ran up and poor Veronica had fallen out of the big bed, and crawled up in with Maria.  She cried and cried, waaaaah!, but she was still sleeping, poor baby.  Mike said and it's true, when could we ever use bunk beds with these girls?  I can't have her falling from six feet!  Sheesh!  Maybe I'll bag it and get something like this?

So, to catch up, all's well, Veronica's fine.  She never ever shuts her mouth.  She is still using L a lot for  a lot of letters.  She says "Glandma" and "Leah" for yeah.  It's so damned cute I  know I'll miss it when she stops.

What's So Great About Veronica?

• She is the sweetest thing.  I always say that I get all blame when the kids are crazy and loud and obnoxious because that is much more in keeping with MY personality, while everyone knows that Mike is the kind of person who has birds come and land on his shoulder.  And it's just funny, but it's also true that Mike is sweet and gentle and so is Veronica, in the same way.  She totally does get that from him.  
• She is incredibly cuddly.  I am trying to focus on the greatness here, since sometimes it can be a bit much.  
• She shares everything she has.  She's not a sucker about it or anything, she will keep what she wants, but mostly if it's not going to kill her to part with it, she will.  
• She has beautiful, perfect teeth.  When I think about how she had that big giant chomper for so long and looked so funny I can't believe it!  
• I think if she were on her own, she'd be a late sleeper.  We'll never know but I'll assume it.
• Now that she is conversing so much, I can see and hear more of her sweet personality and it's been so fun.  Even though she is a quiet, sweet butterfly of a person, she has her own feisty personality.  I have no concerns about her starting school this fall, in fact, we're all excited about it!
• She has a scratchy adorable voice.  
• She says slipperty when she means slippery.
• She is starting to sing a little bit and it's so, so cute.
• She was so scared at swimming at the beginning of the summer and she has really, really taken off.   She is scared every day but she pushes through it and it's a great thing to see and a great thing to emulate, now that I think about it.  

The Mystery of Veronica Vep

Many moons ago, my friends Chuck and Lebron were a hilarious production of The Mystery of Irma Vep at the Phoenix Theater here in Indianapolis.  Chuck and Lebron played a billion characters and one of them, played by Chuck I think, said "Janey" in this way that was really funny and has stayed with me for years, so much so that if I meet someone named Jane, I have to say it that way that he did.  I wish I could add a video clip but that seems like a lot, but it's kind of a ... ugh I can't do it justice, but anyway it was great and like I say, I think of it a lot.  I wish I could get her to call me Jane.

Veronica says LOTS of words like this.  She makes, like, a super long A or something.  So she says, Mama, can I have some lemon-ay-ud? for lemonade.  It cracks me up.

And it's a good thing it makes me laugh because sometimes she drives me bonkers.  She was super, super bad in church today.  It's about 150 degrees in our church because we've been baking like cupcakes all summer and there is no air left, and all Veronica does is wrap herself around me.  I suppose it's good that she doesn't run away from me anymore, she is leaving the confessionals alone, thank God, but man.  Why can't she just SIT THERE?  The priest knows how hot it is, so the Mass is pretty quick, like 50 minutes or something, so how hard is it?  Pretty hard for Veronica, is I guess the answer.

Her new teacher called today, we're going to meet with her on 8/22.  Both girls have preschool sponsored park playdates starting this week, and we are going to the fair and the museum, so it should be a fun week.  Ha ha ha boo hoo, I always think that and it never really is.  

Even More Talking

Seriously.  She will NOT shut up.  Hoo boy, it's crazy.  I was telling my parents this last night, as an example of her extreme talkitude.  Yesterday Anthony was in the bathroom downstairs and, as usual, Veronica picked that exact time to have to go.  So I said go upstairs already and she did.  THEN of course she yelled for me to come upstairs because I had shut both bathroom doors up there, so up I went. I opened the door to the upstairs/kids bathroom but she wanted to go in mine, she said.

We went into my room and she was yapping away, telling me the reason she wanted to go in my bathroom was because her butt fit better on the toilet in my room, the toilet in her room was WAY too big, she said.  It's true, the one in their bathroom is an oval shape and it's just a circle in my bathroom.  I know that's a lot of information about our toilets, but what can you do.  Sooo, we go into my room and she proceeds to pee, which I know because she says "I peeing, mommy!".  She says how when she's done, we can flush the toilet and I say, I'll flush it after you want, if it's too noisy.  She says, NO, this toilet does not flush too loud, but the other one does.  She says "I don't like loud noises but I like quiet noises, like this:" and she puts her index finger up to her mouth and, dirty looking me the whole time, says SHHHHHHHHHH.  I said okay, then, so she finished peeing and jumped up and flushed the toilet, talking the WHOLE ENTIRE time, "see Mama, I fine, I don't mind this noise because it's a quiet noise and I like quiet noise just not loud noise like the potty in my room is too loud but this is fiiiiiiine". Sheesh.  SHEESH.

She did great at swimming yesterday and she VOLUNTEERED to go out with Mr. Isaac, swimming.  At one point, I was sitting there with Felicity, who was standing holding on to the bench, and I noticed Veronica was crying so I went over.  I said "what is wrong?", she seemed SO upset and she said "Mr. Isaac won't let me go first!".  Ugh.  I shooed her away and went back to Felicity.  It's annoying but so funny that a month ago she wouldn't get in the pool and now she's mad she can't show off her dog paddle.

Three weeks from Monday they start back to preschool.  What a difference a year makes, right?  I was worried she'd never be able to leave me and now she can't wait to get back!