Baby teeth

It's no secret: I don't like the dentist. I don't like teeth, mine especially. I avoided the dentist for over 10 years at one point. It took quite a bit of self determination and support from Miranda to finally go back. I still don't really know how or why I developed this irrational fear. I continue to loathe every visit and I doubt that will ever change. As you might guess, this is not something I want to pass on to my daughter.

When Hayley got her first tooth, Miranda and I were both very excited; we celebrate each new tooth that successfully "erupts" (yes, that is the technical term). Right now, she's got two on the bottom and nearly four on the top. Her first tooth erupted over 4 months ago. Unfortunately, it's only recently that we've been brushing her teeth regularly. I'm not sure exactly why we dropped the ball on that, but it probably has something to do with my phobia/attitude toward dental hygiene.

Luckily, Hayley is responding very well to the whole thing. Maybe a little too well. We bought her a special pink baby toothbrush; the first time we used it, she giggled and happily let us brush her teeth. Since then, it's been all smiles (pun intended). The funniest part is that lately, she actually gets upset when it's done and we put away her toothbrush! I don't think I've ever heard of a kid who cried because she wanted to keep brushing her teeth. This gives me great hope about her dental future. All I can say is that she should probably go with mommy for her first visit to the dentist.