Eight is Great!

Okay, it really stinks.  After today I am questioning my decision making skills.

Leighton had her eight teeth pulled yesterday.  She was very excited and a little bit nervous before we left.  When I asked her what she was nervous about, she said that she was afraid that people would make fun of her for having no teeth.

She did really well with the Nitrous and the shots and the actual pulling.  When she saw me afterwards I could tell that she was barely holding it together.  She ran to me and immediately began to sob. Well, sob as much as you can with a mouth full of bloody, saliva filled gauze.  I nearly started to sob myself, but held it together.  This is what I gazed at the whole ride home. 

yes, Mom, the light is red



 She was very uncomfortable with the numb feeling.  As it wore off she was much happier.  As you can tell from this still numb, half smile.

WARNING:  Yucky tooth picture ahead.

 These are the very large teeth that were pulled.  The second one on the top was one that was loose.  It is the regular size, the rest have very big roots.

 After all the numbing wore off and she started to talk and smile, I nearly burst into tears.  What have I done to this little girl?  She looks like she has on a set of those Bubba teeth.  Only this set cost me $1000 and doesn't remove.  I only hope that I have not ruined her self esteem. 

It is ironic that the reason we had them pulled is that she doesn't have room for her adult teeth and they would come in crooked and 'jacked up' and make her self conscious.  We had talked about taking out four and then waiting for a couple of months for the next set, but the orthodontist said that it would be less traumatic to have them all out at once. 

Well, are you ready for the big reveal? 

 I know!  I am tearing up just looking at this picture. 

She got up this morning and started to cry during breakfast.   She told me that she was afraid that all the kids were going to see the dark clots in her mouth and think that she had to have her teeth pulled out because she didn't brush.  I let her stay home one more day and I am hoping that she will want to go tomorrow.  I don't think I have it in me to force her to go. 

If you see her, please help me out and don't comment too much on how she doesn't have any teeth, unless you are like the amazing Mrs. Easterling who told her how she would have been so jealous to have had so many teeth taken at once.  She told her that she might even be the most popular kid in the whole first grade because of it.  I think I even saw a little smile from that comment.