Baby Jay

I took my twins to the dentist in July and both needed fillings 

(which the Bunny Rabbit and the Dolly Llama call 'feelings'). 

I left promising I would call and set up the appointment when 

I was in front of my (mythical) calendar. 

The family calendar is something I clearly can't master. 

Perhaps it is more my expectations of the family calendar.

Gapetto and I definitely fly by the seat of our pants - all the 

time - with VERY mixed results. I imagine this large color-coded 

calendar with a key at the bottom (like on a map) and who's 

cooking when and who's cleaning up and when we bring snacks 

to school, and on and on. Now being graphic designers that 

probably isn't that far-fetched but it is what I expect the 

calendar will provide...

A calm and orderly life.

Yeah, right.

So I forgot to make the follow up appointment for the 'feelings' 

till they left a message a few weeks ago. 

OOPS! 

We went back to the dentist and found out that one of the 

Dolly's cavities had progressed to where the tooth needed to 

be removed by an oral surgeon. It was a baby tooth in the 

spot where someday a 12 year molar will grow into.

We went for the consultation and discussed the procedure 

with the doctor who was fabulous. The Dolly seemed pretty 

comfortable with him too.

The night before the procedure the kids called me into 

the bathroom during tubby time. Clearly they had been 

having a lengthly discussion because no actual washing 

had occurred yet.

'Mommy, do you think I should keep Baby Jay or give it to 

the Tooth Fairy?' Two expectant faces looked up at me. 

What the....?

It took me a moment to deconstruct this sentence. 

Hmmmm, tooth fairy - AHA! She was talking about her 

baby tooth which happens to be in position J in her mouth 

on the tooth chart. Who knew she was paying such 

close attention?

I certainly should have - not much gets by this child.

She had the surgery yesterday and after a rocky couple of 

hours was back to her (6-1/2 year) old self.

As they wheeled her out to our car I was struck by few things. 

Somebody help me if something ever really happens to one 

of my babies because I don't do so well even seeing them 

sedated. I thought of all of the mothers who are actually

dealing with something BIG with their children.

And I felt empathy and gratitude.

Then I thought of the privilege of being able to do a health 

procedure that is prophylactic. And I wondered about all of 

the people who have to wait until something is terribly wrong 

and then go to the emergency room and wait in pain FOREVER.

And again I felt empathy and gratitude.

I have high hopes for this new administration. 

I also know that the man is taking on one hell of a mess. 

And yet I hope.

I hope that one day every child will have health insurance.

EVERY CHILD. 

I hope that one day every single person will have health 

insurance. But the children are a great beginning.

As for Baby Jay? She is resting comfortably [in the special 

little box that the nurse presented to the Dolly] up on the 

window sill in our kitchen.

And miracle of miracles, somehow the tooth fairy knew that 

Dolly had lost a tooth even though it wasn't under her pillow.