Random

So I have to admit, I am HORRIBLE about remembering to brush my kids teeth. If you're a dentist you need to stop reading. Sometimes I might get on a roll for 5 days or so and actually do it every day. But then other times I suddenly realize, wow, it's been a week since I've brushed their teeth! Yes, I'm bad. Sadly, often times the reason I remember to do it is because I see one of the kids smile and I notice how dirty their teeth are. I must be feeling guilty about it because two nights ago I had this horrible dream where I was brushing Micaiah's teeth and all of a sudden 3 or 4 of his molars broke off and came out. They were brown and rotten and I was totally freaked out. I looked at his gum's and they seemed ok , but I was really worried. Luckily, that was about as far as the dream went. Suffice it to say, I've brushed the kids teeth the last two days since the dream. Let's hope I can get on a good schedule this time - and actually make it last.

Orin is obsessed with eating right now. One of his biggest problems with the monster is that the monster is so big and he is so small. He is always talking about how he wants to get bigger and bigger and bigger and then he won't be scared anymore. So at meals he just keeps asking for more and more food so he'll get "Really big and strong." He'll be eating something and ask, "Will this make me grow big and strong?" Actually, it's a good way for us to try to get him to eat foods he normally won't. That hasn't really been working though because let me tell you how strange this child is. He absolutely LOVES vegetables - plain, without ranch or any kind of dip. Yet he can't stand meat of any kind except for shrimp and catfish which hardly even qualify. Every day for lunch they will have a plate of vegetables (usually carrots, bell pepper, cucumber and broccoli) and a turkey and cheese sandwich. I'll give them their food and while I make my lunch there is complete silence at the table and all I hear is crunch, crunch,crouch while they devour the veggies. It's actually a wonderful sound. And we have this new routine at lunch where our 'desert' will be fruit with a little bit of cool whip. But none for Orin. He just wants it plain. Oh, and another thing. We recently had a Dora book from the library where she has a picnic and brings peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The kids were asking me for weeks to make some. Finally, I bought some jelly and made them each one. They both took one bite, made faces, and put it down and asked for a cheese sandwich. Oh, well. It's not like I'm complaining - I just think it's funny. What kid doesn't like peanut butter and jelly. Isn't it a staple of childhood? Anyway, back to Orin's obsession with eating. Damien was doing some research on kids who suddenly become scared. Apparently it's very normal around 4 years old. Kids come to the realization that they are much smaller than the world around them. They realize they aren't invincible and become fixated on getting bigger. Often at this age kids will really get attached to things like Ninjas or dinosaurs - things that are big, strong, and powerful. Orin has done just that recently.

Damien has been getting really busy at work. Everything for the next release for the software he develops must be done by the end of February. Everyone in the office is stressed - there is so much more work than there are workers. If he doesn't get his part finished it won't get put into this release and it will be another six months before there is another release. So he's working non-stop. We were hoping to be able to go to New Orleans to spend Mardi Gras with our families, but with this schedule, we may have to wait until next year - sad.

We had to go downtown to get fingerprinted last week. We had to get fingerprint cards to send to the FBI so that they can send us our record (or letter of non-record). Then we have to send this letter in with our dossier for the adoption. Anyway, Micaiah was very taken by the entire process. One of them was holding him up and telling them that mommy would help him take his fingerprints when he got home. Oh, well thanks! :-)Micaiah was talking about it for the rest of the day so I found a stamp pad and let them at it. Micaiah thought it was pretty fun.

Micaiah's little fingers

Micaiah wanted it to do it just like at the police station.