Braces and Barf

Abi got braces on this morning.

Corey said he's gonna miss her Wallace and Gromit smile... (let's see it Abi!)

...but we're glad that things are going to get straightened out. She usually won't show her teeth when she smiles, so it will be good to get this taken care of. It was a memorable appointment today, and I almost missed it, cause last night, as I was figuring out logistics, Corey offered to take Abi in to her appointment. I was grateful for that, cause then I could be home to finish getting kids off to school, with the added bonus that I wouldn't have to wake up sleepy toddlers. Sweet. But... at 7:00 this morning, after getting back from taking the high school kids to jazz band (cause, as I've mentioned twice already, our only insured driver is Joseph, and he's in Texas on tour with the Crescent Super Band) So I got to drive them in and when I got back at 7, Corey was up and ready for the day. He said he had a meeting at 8 that he should go to. Blah, ok, so scratch plan A. Plan B: I take her, with all my ducklings in tow. Yay, I get to wake up sleeping children. That just always seems like such a tragedy! Getting them to be quiet and to sleep is a big parent goal every day, right? So to take them out of that quiet and peaceful state just seems wrong. But duty calls. I got them up and we started getting dressed and ready and eating breakfast. With Corey and all the big kids gone, I had to decide: do I take Lily and Sophi with me and drive them back to go to school? or do I find a fellow mom that could send them off? My first call to a neighbor solved that and Lily and Sophi went over there after they finished getting ready. I finish getting Natalie, Owen and Daniel ready, and we're left at 7:55 - a little late for Abi's 8:00 appointment, but that's okay.

At the orthodontist, Daniel was being a handful right off the bat. One of the receptionist ladies brought out balloons to give to some patients that were getting their braces off. Daniel really wanted one and reached for them saying "Hep!" (aka help). "Hep! Hep!" I looked at her to see if she was okay with it, and she didn't seem to be, and didn't offer to go get an extra for him, so sorry little buddy, no balloon today. I pulled him away and tried to distract him with something else (hard to compete with big metallic and shiny blue star balloons though!) So, next best thing - he tried to grab her computer mouse. I was signing paper work for payments and Hiipa and whatever else, aware he was trying to wreak havoc. I finished signing paperwork and picked him up. We went over to join Natalie and Owen who were watching Beauty and the Beast. Daniel was still everywhere. The lady who had helped me with the paperwork brought out a puzzle. Natalie liked that, not Daniel. She then brought out a little farm toy set. Daniel liked that, but so did Owen. And they started fighting over the red tractor. Usually Daniel doesn't fuss, but he was fussing really loudly this time. He wanted that tractor. I took it from Owen and tried to encourage him to let Daniel have a turn. Owen wasn't having it and starting freaking out louder than Daniel was. I gave it back to Owen and picked up Daniel. We did that twice and I was getting embarrassed about how loud they were being. So I give Daniel the tractor and get my phone out for Owen. Owen was pleased with that move. But then Daniel didn't want the tractor anymore and he wanted the phone too. Ugh, I can't win here... I went back to where Abi was getting worked on and thought about going to the store or something to kill time. How long does this take? About an hour. We'd already been there 15 minutes, so just 45 more, would that be worth it? Maybe I can just drive around in the car? I don't know, but I gotta get out of here. I carry Daniel and Natalie and Owen follow me back to where Abi is. They all sit on the bench. Hmm. Maybe one last try - I put a video on my phone and they sit quietly and watch it for about 2 minutes. Then Daniel starts to fuss and gets down. I pick him up and he is fussing a little weirdly - like crying a weird cry. He looked a little pale... I thought maybe was going to faint or something. I wasn't able to hold the video on the phone for Owen as I tried to help Daniel, so Owen was upset again, Ok, I give up. Abi, I think I'm going to go. Then Daniel throws up over my left shoulder and down my back. Oh! Ok! So that is what that weird cry meant!  Abi, I definitely am going to have to go now. The ortho assistant looks at me like "What do you need?" Um, I am going to go, I'll be back. I switched Daniel to my right hip and apologized for the mess on the floor. Luckily most of it got on me though. "Don't even worry about it!" I gather Natalie and Owen, and then Daniel throws up again all over my right side and my front. Ok, I better get out of here! The ladies had already grabbed me a towel and now there were like five of them on the floor cleaning things up and trying to help. "Do you need help getting to your car?" Yes. She walks me out to the waiting area. If you could grab my bag there. And those papers, And that blanket. "Is this bottle yours too?" Yes, thank you, that too. Oh my goodness. I find my keys and unlock the car. "What can I help you with?" She was so nice. I was laughing now. "Can you take a picture of me? Cause this is so funny..." She was laughing too - Mom life, right?

After a picture, I put Daniel in the car, Owen and Natalie are in and I get them buckled. I get ready to get in, and she says "Just so you know.... it is all over your back, so you might want to take off your coat or it will get on your seat..." Good idea, thank you! I knew it was bad in front, I was thankful she pointed that out. Here is what I looked like not counting the mess that my coat had absorbed, (which was most of it...)

screenshot courtesy of the Marco Polo video I did for my family, cause I just have to share this funny and gross moment with someone. Rice milk and banana barf all over me and in my hair, smelling it during my 15 min drive home, it was stinky, I was trying not to breath. But I was very grateful this was a breakfast barf and not a spaghetti dinner barf. And I was also glad he had only eaten a smoothie breakfast instead of a chunky cereal or something like that. Yes, if I'm going to be covered in vomit, this is a good one to get. Daniel fell asleep right away in the car with his wet clothes. I wondered if it would be bad for me to die in a crash cause I had the shoulder strap of the seatbelt down so I wouldn't get throw up on it - what is my priority? Safety? ...or not getting the car interior dirty with puke?

I call Nicole and tell her, we are both laughing - I call Corey and left a message with him to see when his meeting is done and if he could possibly come home and save me so I don't have to take the kids with me when I pick up Abi. He calls back and says he can go get Abi. Great, that's even better. We get home, unload, start a bath, start laundry, into the tub, and wow, that was funny. My first time being puked on in public. I guess it was nice though to not have carpet to clean by myself! Seriously, they all jumped up to the rescue and I was just able to say "Hey! Sorry about that! Thanks for your help, I'll be leaving now..." and walk out and leave. That was nice. Thank you, three cheers for McDonough Orthodontics! I was barfed all over last year on the first week of January. Hope this doesn't become a new new years tradition, or maybe it's a winter thing? More barf stories - Natalie threw up in February 2015 or a when we had a whole barf week in February 2013

I didn't get to see Abi's finished product until I saw her walking home from school (on my way out to pick up high school carpool again, yay) Doesn't she look cute?!

You look good Abbers. Sorry I didn't stay till you were done, but I guess that was fun to have such a memorable appointment!