Are my teeth still shiny?

Louis had his first dentist appointment this week.  I called on Wednesday and we got in right away on Thursday morning...I wasn't expecting such a fast turnaround!  So Wednesday night we briefed Louis on what would happen at the dentist and promised him if he did a great job, we would go to Target and get something "superhero".
He was a little nervous going in, but he soon was very comfortable and eager to go back for his checkup.  I was a little nervous his shyness would kick in, but man he did great.  We grinned the whole time in the chair and didn't mind at all that I was sitting six feet away.  He listened very well and did everything they asked.  The clinic it self was great in explaining all their tools to Louis and letting him feel them ahead of time.  While at the dentist he got a new toothbrush, floss, a little toy and a whole lot of confidence.  I left with an amazing amount of pride over how big my little boy has become.  I also realized in that moment, that nothing else in my life gives me the same feeling that my children do in moments like this.

As we left for Target, he was beaming.  He kept talking about how the polisher tickeled his teeth but how we liked the grape stuff (the flouride) best.  That night after school he talked to Brad all about it and he told Brad and I both separately that he should go back to the dentist again soon.  As he was getting ready for bed that night he stopped and asked me one thing..."Mommy, are my teeth still shiny?"

Oh, and his Target prize...see below.

Summer Catch-Up

Things have been going very well in the Budde household.  So much has gone on but I haven't had time to update, mostly because I haven't been good at taking pictures and the blog is just boring with out them.  Instead of catching up on what we have been doing for the last 5 weeks, here is an update on the children:

Louis continues to love words and spelling.  He wants to know how to spell everything.  He wants to know what letter every word starts with and loves to spell out words.  It really is amazing.  The other day he asked me, "how do you spell, Clark Kent turns into Superman?"  I find that is a request you cannot deny!   When we read him his books we will ask him to sound out Clark (as in Clark Kent) and to find that word on the page.  And for the most part he is successful.  He loves to tell us stories and loves to run "fast" everywhere.  If you ask him how fast he is, he will respond with "faster than light".  Ha!  He has been enjoying summer very much.  He has been having fun playing in the water and the sand and going to the play park.  His imagination has really started to kick in as well.  At the play park he loves to pretend that he is in a space ship and will count down "5,4,3,2,1, blast off!!".

Mabel is also doing well.  She is getting faster and stronger with her walking.  In mid-April we took her to a pediatrician that focuses on genetic disorders just to be certain that there wasn't any underlying condition that she might have inherited.  Long story short she was diagnosed with Type 3 Ehlers-Danlos - which is nothing to be concerned about and that she probably got it from me (even though I haven't been diagnosed).  As a final precaution she had an echocardiogram done at the end of the month to be certain the arteries in her heart were working correctly.  Everything turned out amazingly normal and it was a huge relief!  She loves to talk- none stop. She no longer calls Louis "Lou Lou" but just plain old Louis.  it is good, but it is a little sad to see her growing out of it.  She loves to tell everyone to "come" and "listen" and "where is she/ it/ him/ baby?".  She loves to carry around a purse, wear bracelets and even likes nailpolish!  She is full-on girl.  She is getting rather adventurous now that she is mobile and has also developed a little bit of attitude.  Unfortunately, she has also become a biter - so I apologize in advance to the people she bites, I promise we are trying very hard to break her of that habit!  Mostly right now Mabel just loves her brother (or rather loves bugging her brother).  She finds it so funny when he gets frustrated with her.  She is starting to get interested in potty chairs so we bought her first pair of underwear - Dora of course.  Lastly, Mabel is now rid of her pacifier.  She was biting on them when she was teething and tearing them apart.  So we took them away.  To be honest it was a pretty painless transition except for Church time - that is the one time I want to give it back to her!!

The first few weeks of summer have been filled with fun, water, play parks, friends, family and silliness - all of it a great time.  Lastly, welcome to our new niece/cousin Quinn!  She was born on 6-1-2010.  Welcome sweet girl!