Meaningful Glances

A brief update on our first attempt at taking Evelyn to see the dentist:

For the better part of a year we have been preparing Evelyn to make this visit. We read her a book about going to the dentist on a regular basis, we always talk about it as a fun place - a place where they give you a new toothbrush, and we set her up to be excited to go in every other way that we can. Last night, as we talked excitedly about getting to go to the dentist today, she responded with her usual smiley, sing-song "But not today!" It's a bit of a running joke, but what it really means is this: Evelyn is TERRIFIED of going to the dentist. I'm baffled at how the idea made it's way in to her little head, but she clearly knew that she feared the dentist as much as she fears any other doctor. I tried again to excite her this morning and got the same result as last night - "But not today!"

"Yeah," I said. "Today."

Instant devastation. It took me fully half an hour to get her calmed down to the point that she was only sobbing reflexively. You know - those great, shuddering inhales? At any rate, skipping over the intervening time, I ended up making up a Boris-went-to-the-dentist story on the way to the actual visit that briefly gave me hope that she would make it through. She laughed and asked to hear it again and again, so I asked her if she'd like to have a visit just like Boris' visit. She enthusiastically agreed, and so we marched triumphantly in to the office and checked in. Evelyn busied herself playing with some of the toys laying around while I did paperwork and all was on the right track. Until they called her name and I uttered the fateful words "OK, let's go."

Instant devastation. Also instant attention of the entire office. We tried in vain to just sit in the room where we'd be, but she was just too loud to keep around all the other people that were suffering in relative silence. Finally, realizing that she'd get her wish of just going home granted, she made a 180-degree turnaround, thanking me for taking her to the dentist and gabbing the poor receptionist's ear off while she tried to figure out how to refund our copayment. She even agreed to come back another time to "have her teeth counted," but the real prize was that Daddy had promised to take her to play at McDonald's after the dentist visit was over. I gave her what encouragement I could for being brave and trying, then headed off for the golden arches with a talkative, but clearly worn out 3-year old. We made it home just before 2pm and snuggled in for a Curious George story and a nap. We're up now, but I feel like I could've slept for two more hours...

So round one to Evelyn. There aren't any issues that really need addressing in her little mouth, but we'll keep working on it so that she doesn't need to be as familiar with her dentist as, say, her Daddy. :)