Everyone's favorite...the dentist

It has been kind of a crazy week, but I wanted to make note of an important event- Will's first trip to the dentist! Okay, so I personally hate going to the dentist, but we are trying not to pass that along to Will...at least not until he figures it out for himself. So all week long we talked up how how special it was that Will got to go to the dentist and how he would get a new toothbrush and stuff. [Our appointment was actually the 9th so this is a little overdue.] I had an appointment too so Mollie came with us to keep an eye on Sawyer and to help with Will during my exam. The dentist had Will come back first and Will was pretty interested in the computer and all of the buttons that controlled the chair. He was having fun sitting in the chair until the hygienist tried to recline it and then he started getting nervous. I was surprised that he didn't just start crying and trying to run away, but instead he just sat there looking anxious. The hygienist tried to polish his teeth, but she was unsuccessful since Will clenched his jaw every time she got near him. The office has flat screen tv's mounted on the ceiling above the chairs so the dentist put on "Cars" for Will and gave him headphones for the sound. Will thought it was pretty amazing that he got to watch Cars on the ceiling. The hygienist gave up on the cleaning and the doctor tried to just do a quick exam, but every time he reached near Will's mouth Will would very politely reach up and push his hand away all without taking his eyes off the movie. I think he thought it was some fancy movie theater and couldn't figure out why they kept bothering him when he was trying to watch the movie. I eventually helped pry his mouth open enough that the dentist could quickly look around with his mirror. He gave Will the all clear and Will was very distressed when we tried to get him down from the chair to go back to the waiting room. He wanted to watch the rest of the movie. Luckily, the dentist also has a tv in the waiting room so he put "Cars" on in there and Will agreed to move. Will also got a new Winnie the Pooh toothbrush and a toy car so he thinks the dentist's office is a pretty great place to be. We'll see how long that lasts. I am wishing I had a picture of him lounging in the chair wearing his headphones watching the movie and politely declining the dentist's attempts to examine him. It was pretty funny.


We have been trying to ask Will what he wanted to be for Halloween, but he doesn't understand the concept of dress up or pretend or costumes so it doesn't get very far. The other day I was listing a bunch of options and Will got really excited when I said "cowboy." Which was predictable (see last post). So he is going to be a cowboy which is fine with me since it should be fairly easy. Ever since then, however, Will has been randomly saying "Will be temple for Halloween!" (see here http://www.lds.org/temples/geographical/0,11380,1899-1,00.html for more info on temples) I'm not sure where he got that idea...and regardless of the logistical difficulties of dressing a 2 year-old like a gigantic ornate building...I think it would be just a little too strange...even for Utah County. So he will be a cowboy. Sorry.

Yesterday I was in the car with Bryce, the boys, and Mollie and we were talking about how they took down the playscape at our old elementary school. We were reminiscing about how one of the most popular features at the playground was a bunch of large tires set in the ground so that only the top half sticks out. Everyday at recess it was a race to claim a tire. You'd run to the set of tires and stick your head under in hopes of finding one that was unoccupied, but more likely you'd look up and discover that this one was already taken by another kid who had wedged himself up inside the top of the tire. So you'd go to the next and the next until you either found an empty one and claimed it triumphantly or gave up and found something else to do. For some reason this was a really enjoyable and desirable way to spend recess--wedged in the top of an old tire. I commented "Kids are so weird!" and Will echoed me from the back seat saying "Kids are so cute!" I guess he took it upon himself to correct me.

A few days ago Will woke up saying "Mommy, I want a brownie for breakfast!" Unfortunately, we didn't have any. If we had any, we probably both would have had brownies for breakfast. I think he officially has my sweet tooth!

I love when both of the boys are asleep in the afternoons!

Will is getting excited for Christmas. I'm sure he has no recollection of last Christmas, but lately whenever he sees a man with a beard (such as the wizard on Sesame Street this afternoon) he says "Christmas! Christmas!" And of course Lowe's already has its Christmas decorations on display. We were there last weekend and Will was mesmerized by the lights and the giant inflatable yard displays. It is fun to think that this year he will actually be excited about Christmas. Especially since it will be only the 2nd time in my life that I haven't been home in Connecticut for Christmas. It was just too lame to stay here for Christmas when you just have one kid who is too small to be excited about anything. And I'm the only married child in my family so everyone else still goes home every year. This year Will will be old enough to get in on the action and I think my sister-in-law and her husband will be here from England so it will seem a little more Christmasey than if it were just us.

The other night Bryce was wrestling with Will and Will rolled over and hugged Bryce and said "I love you Daddy!" It was so cute. This morning when I got him out of bed he said "I love you Mommy!" It "almost" makes up for how much of a pill he was all of last week. :-)