Back to the Dentist - First Cleaning

Six months ago when the Teenies made their first appearance in the dentists' office they were a little crazy and the decision was made by everyone involved that it would be best to just examine their teeth and leave the cleaning for the next visit.

Tuesday was the next visit.

We arrived right on time and took up most of the waiting room.  One of the practice's dogs was there, along with a bunch of toys and a "teebee" (as Max would say), so there was plenty to distract them.  I sat on a seat by the window.  Caroline found a butterfly Barbie doll and brought it over.  I thought she wanted to show it to me, but she really wanted to give it to the ten year old girl sitting next to me.  She then went back and got another toy, walked over to us and climbed up onto the seat inbetween us.  The girl seemed flattered that Caroline wanted to play with her, but also relieved when her name was called.  Caroline followed her to the reception desk only to be told she had to wait for her own name to be called.  She took it in stride.

When they were called back, Caroline marched back like she owned the place while Daniel dawdled along behind and Max followed the dog the wrong way down the hall.  By the time I'd corralled Max back into our room(s), Caroline was already up in the exam chair waiting.  Each exam room has a video screen facing the chair with another one on the ceiling synced to it and there is a whole host of kid-friendly animation to choose from.  Caroline got Sesame Street highlights.

The first step of each visit is a present - a new toothbrush.  Hers is peach colored with Eeyore on it.  She calls him "donkey".

Checking out the overhead screen

The next stage is to paint their teeth purple and show how much plaque is around.  Caroline has not been a fan of brushing her teeth, so I was nervous, but it turned out she only had a little patch of pink on the bottom.  Not bad.

Wiping the purple gunk off

Daniel was not nearly as pleased to be at the dentist as his sister.  He fought the hygienist and Daddy had to restrain him so that she could paint his teeth.

Caroline wants to know why everyone is in the other room.  I'm so sad this wasn't in focus - she's so cute!

After seeing how much plaque Daniel had, he got to try to brush it away.  He liked looking in the mirror while he brushed.

Daddy is pointing out where Daniel kicked him during the restraint portion of the event

In Caroline's room, she was preparing for her cleaning.

Checking out that overhead screen!

She was SO good!

Daniel got to choose his cleaning flavors from a little menu with pictures - he opted for orange and strawberry.

But even the flavors didn't make him any happier about the actual procedure.

Max had stolen my phone when we first got into the room, so he was a little more easily distracted / subdued than his brother had been.

But he was still a little wary.

The prognosis on their teeth was not so bad.  Daniel and Max have strong, well spaced teeth that need to be brushed a little bit more thoroughly.  Caroline needs to transition to dropping the paci to see if we can get her horribly bent and wayward teeth back aiming the right direction.  But other than that, her teeth are in good shape.

All in all, we were in and out in less than an hour for around $100 (thank GOODNESS for dental insurance!) and nobody seemed to hate it THAT much.

Here's Daniel dancing while Max endures his cleaning.

Two quick stories that just have to be shared

Every night at bedtime we go through an elaborate series of hugs and kisses.  The other night, Caroline balked at a kiss on the head, insisting for a smooch on the lips.  The only problem being that she keeps pacifier in her mouth.  No problem for her!  She's coined a new phrase, "Kiss my paci!"  Giving Flo a run for her money before the age of 3!

In the bath the other night, Max did something that upset Caroline.  When he realized she was upset, he leaned over and put his finger on her lips in a "shhhh" motion, and then kissed her, first on the cheek, then the temple, and lastly on the top of her head.  And to top it off, he asked, "All better?"  Surprisingly, all was.

Spring Break Begins!

On Saturday, Grandma came over during naptime so that I could run some errands and Grandpa was planning to come over around lunch time.  As I was backing out of the supermarket parking lot, I got a phone call from my dad asking where I was and what was up with the kids.  Apparently, he'd called the house and my mother's cell phone and gotten no response and was now across the street from my house.  He waited the two minutes for me to get home and helped me carry the groceries in.  We walked in to find Grandma asleep in her chair, cell phone in her lap.  We debated putting a mirror under her nose to make sure she was still with us, but after a brief rise and fall of her chest, we let her rest and unloaded the groceries.  She woke up a minute or so later and came in saying, "I was asleep." Umm, yeah, we figured...

Eating apples and checking out the cars on the street

Caroline thinks Mommy is funny

On Sunday, Uncle, Wendy, and I took the kids to the zoo.

Max thought the hippo might want a Nutter Butter

But Daniel knew it didn't belong in his nostril!

All those animals, and all Max cared about was the orange cone!

Everyone's favorite part of the zoo - FRENCH FRIES!

Caroline is training to be European, dipping her fries in mayonnaise

The big highlight (aside from seeing THREE lions in their enclosure and hearing the tiger roar while he paced) was the kids' first right on the Little Puffer Steam Train.

Caroline rode with Uncle and Daniel rode with Wendy

Max loved when the wind whipped through his hair

Then it was off to the petting zoo.  Armed with $3 worth of goat and sheep food, we set off, only to discover that all Max cared about was the ducks.  He and Daniel fed all their food to the ducks, giggling and screeching in excitement when they flapped near or quacked appreciation, while Caroline busied herself brushing the goats and raking the dirt.

The Stuffed Animal Brigade

Caroline's crib is entirely covered in stuffed animals, but she is fairly selective in what she brings out with her when she gets up, choosing one or two toys per day.  The boys, on the other hand, have an ever-growing collection that must come with them in its entirety each time they emerge from bed.  

Daniel's entourage includes (again, I apologize for our lack of creativity in the name department): Monkey, Carrot, Horsie, Mickey Mouse, and Ribbit the pink frog.

Daniel

 Max's menagerie is: Puppy, Broccoli, Horsie, Goofy, and Pink Monkey

Max

Earlier this month, I went to a baby shower for my friend Sam.  I had forgotten to hide the wrapped gift when the kids came out to play and Caroline instantly decided the present was for her.  I told her, no, it was for Sam.

"Remember Junior?"
"Oh, Junior"
"Remember Junior's mommy, Sam?"
"Junior mommy Sam"
"Junior's mommy Sam has a baby in her tummy"
"Oh! Junior mommy Sam baby tummy"
"Yes, and that present is for the baby"
"My present"

There was no reasoning with her, obviously.  So, I snuck some stuffed animals from the bin in the living room into the back of the house, pulled out some gift bags, and put them in.  Then I noticed the cool hats my friend Jill had gotten them for their birthday, but it had been too warm for them to wear.  So I tossed those in the bags too.  The kids were ecstatic to get their presents and, hilariously, were thrilled with the same stuffed animals they've had for months (Caroline added "kitty" to the group in her crib), or in some cases, for YEARS.

And they loved their new hats:

Monster Max (and Puppy)

Doggy Daniel offers his paci

Caroline took a picture in her fancy, purple owl hat, but it somehow deleted itself from my phone.  This past weekend, Grandpa brought them some new teddy bears that have joined the group, though Daniel has decided his teddy (yes, they are all named "Teddybear") should sleep in Caroline's bed and just visit him while he's awake.

Max

Caroline's Teddybear has "pink tights!"

Daniel's Teddybear is dancing

Here they all lined up in the kids' high chairs to say hello

In other news:  Last week, I had a bunch of late nights.  During one of them, while the boys were playing ball with Daddy in the dining room, Daniel decided the most fun would be to hide out in the plastic tub, while Max decided to line up all the balls to wait for their turn.

More Playgrounds!

Thanks to the San Francisco Parents of Multiples Spring / St. Patrick's Day outing, the Salvateenies got to enjoy three straight weekends of playground outings.  This time, it was at JP Murphy Park in the Golden Gate Heights area of the Sunset.  The playground is pretty fancy - it's on a steep hill and if you go in through the clubhouse, you walk out to a balcony that overlooks the playground beneath.  There is a wide metal ramp that leads down to the playground level but that also has openings to let you directly into different levels of the play structure.  Pretty neat!

Uncle pushes the merry go round - note Caroline is standing while Daniel sits (blue shirt) and Max has already escaped

 The kids definitely enjoyed the snacks provided by the club:

When we got home, Grandma came over so that we could sing Happy Birthday and give her her presents.  Grandma's friends had given her some brownie cupcakes to celebrate, and she shared them with the kids.  Caroline was definitely a big fan.

That called for a DEFINITE bath, after which she put on her new crabby pajamas and posed for the camera in her best interpretive dance pose:

(To appreciate the power of cropping your photos, check out the original:)

Yes, that is a potty she is standing in.

Lincoln Park

As a kid growing up, I went to Lincoln Park playground.  The playground was nestled between the public golf course and our neighborhood Safeway and had your basic play equipment along with a totally awesome grass hill just perfect for rolling down.

Today, the golf course and hill are still there, but the Safeway has changed hands a few times and the play structure has been completely re-done in the City's playground rehabilitation program.  Unlike many of the "new" playgrounds, Lincoln Park is not gated at all.  It is set back from the street, but not far enough back to pose much of a challenge for a pack of toddlers, so it's a playground best visited when you have a high adult-to-toddler ratio.  Auntie wanted to visit and Grandma and Grandpa were willing to wander down the few blocks from their house, so we decided to give it a go.

Max, as is almost always the way, spent most of his time either in the swings or whining to get back in the swings.  Daniel alternated between the swings and running in circles.  Caroline, always the most adventurous, didn't take long to decide that the little kid structure was too basic for her and to move on to the rock walls and rope ladders and big, tall slides of the big kids structure.

Caroline and Daniel at the swings with Boppy (a rare moment with no Max swinging)

The fancy big kids play structure

But with all that stuff to play with, my kids, like always, decided the trees and sticks were much more fun:

In other news:  When Daddy got home from work, everyone was so happy they started hugging each other! (Notice Daddy's stunning blue headband - the things you do to make your kids giggle!)