Yesterday 6 of the children had checkups at the dentist. This was going to be The Boy’s first official turn in The Chair. This isn’t a scary place for him. He has climbed up during other sisters’ cleanings and let the dentist look in his mouth, just for fun. We are here all the time, but this was his first real dentist appointment. His own turn!
He was really looking forward to it. We hyped it for days, and he just couldn’t wait. He got all dressed up in his cowboy boots and his leather vest, with his hair neatly combed. He was ready!
He took a nap in the van on the ride over, and had a sandwich while his sisters had their turns. Then the receptionist came to the door and called his name. My brave little man, who slays bad guys, monsters and daddy longlegs for me every day, turned and looked at her. Then he looked at me. Then he ran for the glass end table in the far corner of the room and crawled under it!
The stunned silence that followed was broken by bursts of laughter from every side. In retrospect, that probably didn’t help.
I snapped a picture, coaxed him out, and carried him down the hall. At the hygienist’s suggestion, I sat in the chair with him on my lap, but that checkup just wasn’t happening. His mouth was clamped shut and he refused to make eye contact with anyone, including me.
In the end, he did open for me while the dentist peered over my shoulder – but as soon as he figured out she was looking he shut down again. He left with a new car in his hand, trying to walk with his usual swagger, but the rest of his day was off. He just wasn’t himself after that, the poor guy.
Today he’s trying to downplay it, to laugh it off. “I hide under the table,” he chuckles. “I funny! Hah hah hah!” His laughter is loud and phony.
He’s going to have to wait another 6 months to slay that dragon.
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How incredibly sweet!!! I’m sure he’ll slay that dragon and many, many others in the future
Simply adorable!
Ha ha! Cute! I know that “dragon” all too well! My oldest, who is 9, still has a hard time at the dentist!
Awwww, sweet litle guy.
How old is the lil guy? I have a dental appointment for 4 of my 5 day. Daddy is going to meet me there in case it takes too long(they said 2 hours!) so that some can go home after they are done to start dinner. Our 3 yo had a hard time last year. He had a cavity and it took 3 or 4 visits to fill that tiny thing he had….very cute pics!
Jeanie,
He was 2 at the end of June. He’s usually fearless, which is why this was so funny to us!
OH, poor bear. :[
Too cute.
Two year olds are the best!
Bless his heart. What a handsome young cowpoke!!!
You don’t know how bad I want to reach into those pictures and GRAB those cheeks! Irresisitable that kid.
Oh, what a smoocher. My little guy (2 in December) has recently developed a fear of bugs and dinosaurs… cute to everyone but him. I love the “putting on a brave face”, though. I want to really build him up for that.