"You have an older child, so what did you do about.........?" or
"Since your daughter has already been through this, how did you handle.........?" and sometimes
"At what age does it get easier?" to which I reply, "Never," and then my friends run out of the room shrieking and pulling their hair.
For the most part, I love to give advice about the perils of parenting an almost-teenager, but I'm painfully aware that 90% of the time I'm not sure what the heck I'm doing.
Just yesterday, I had the honor of entering into yet another realm of the"mothering an older child" category when I took Kellie-Laine to her first orthodontist consultation. In my mind, the consultation was something that would give me a plan of action for Kellie-Laine's upcoming dental appliances--upcoming being the operative word here. However, at the end of the appointment and $2500 later....my eldest gal was given the "go ahead" to get braces on September 9th. (And don't even fool yourself into thinking $2500 is all it costs these days for straight pearly whites.....our insurance kicked in half. Plus we got a 5% discount for paying in full!) Nevertheless, getting braces is a symbolic rite of passage of becoming a teenager....and here we go.
I'm having serious issues with the fact that my little girl....is not so little anymore. She's getting braces, wearing a bra (she is definitely going to kill me for mentioning that fact), wearing two-piece bathing suits, shaving, and just recently had her first babysitting job.
Gulp. I swear I do not feel old enough for this.
In my mind, I am still a high school cheerleader driving my Mitsubishi Eclipse through the Wal-Mart parking lot on Friday night...I am at A&M Fish Camp majorly crushing on my 5th-year-Senior counselor....I am two-steppin' with my soon-to-be fiance....I am holding that baby girl in my arms knowing that my life has just changed forever....I am at my wits end trying to figure out how to put a screaming two-year-old to bed....I am holding her hand on the first day of kindergarten....
16 comments:
She let you take pics ! You must be doing something right :)
AWWWW {{{{{{{{{{{{{Ang}}}}}}}}}}} I'm cruising WalMart and The Country Store with you in my mind sometimes. I see those high schoolers and think there was no way we were that young, lol.... but I see our babies just growing up WAY too fast. KL is such a joy to read about, all of your girls are.
We did the same thing a month ago! Too bad we are not lucky enought to have dental insurance AND we have to have 4 teeth removed...OUCH! KL will be so cute with braces.
This will be me in 2 weeks. Taylor will have his first ortho appt. on the 25th. What a treat. I love how you articulate the feelings every parent has. Thanks for sharing this precious milestone.
Awww - do they really actually keep growing? Darn. Yep, it's exciting and saddening all at the same time.
I can't believe she let you take pictures. Or that you had the guts to take pictures. What did the X ray tech think?
This IS big! It's cute that she didn't seem to mind you snapping pictures during her appointment!
I had a similar feeling today when my high school friend and her two girls came over to visit--seems like we should still be cruising Wal-Mart parking lot and studying for algebra tests together...not taking pictures of her 4 year old and my 4 year old playing together!!?!?
It flies by so quickly doesn't it. I really love the age Ashley is at (despite the attitude and arguing with Pay). All to soon our kids will be cruising Valley Mills.
It is scary how time sees to flash before our eyes, isn't it? I was showing Rick how the skin under my eyes is not tight anymore - it is becoming old people skin. Some days senior trip, Camp War Eagle, and my wedding day seem like they happened just yesterday, and sometimes like it was ages ago.
She let you take and post these pictures! Go KL!
We haven't been hit with the braces yet as C still has some teeth to lose. I'm not looking forward to it!
Her brother opted out since we told him he couldn't skateboard until he was out of braces. That just didn't work for him. (And now we just wish he'd quit piercing things!!! LOL)
this post made me teary. i don't know if it's b/c i know i'll be there sooner than i realize, or if it's b/c i remember your driving in the eclipse and i miss those times. don't know, but kind of sad.
jen ross
this post made me teary. i don't know if it's b/c i know i'll be there sooner than i realize, or if it's b/c i remember your driving in the eclipse and i miss those times. don't know, but kind of sad.
jen ross
Gotta love braces! Well worth every pain and penny. Don't get me started on kids growing up. These next few days are going to be tough...
5,000 dollars later Alex's mouth looks FANTASTIC! It better, for that matter! ha! She has had her braces a couple of years and let me tell you...it is worth EVERY penny. Her orthodontist is filing and expanding her teeth to give her the 'Hollywood Smile', as she calls it. It is beautiful! You will be very pleased, I promise :)
LOVED reading about this. Totally brought back fun memories of a dodge daytona zippin' up and down the beach road on Friday nights without a care in the world. Then life coming to an ubrupt halt as
Dr. Ingram shoved goop covered wax retainers in my mouth to "see which size fits your mouth." How many sizes can there be? Wondering why in the world I was EVER excited about getting braces...gazing longingly at Miss Texas's huge, gorgeous pearly whites in the photographs on the orthodontist's wall and thinking, I'm for sure gonna look JUST LIKE HER...
It didn't happen and I'm fine with that. But the conversations I had with my mom as we waited together in the orthodontist office-I wouldn't trade them for the world.
And yes, KL will thank you for those straight pearly whites.
Luv ya-Claire
I am right there with you. Where did the time go? I love reading your posts about KL. They remind me so much of my Allie! Thanks for letting me drop in and relate every once in a while.
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