"A First"

I took the kids to the dentist a few days ago for their 6-month cleanings. With four kids being seen at the same time, I walked the halls between rooms to see how the kids were doing. All went well generally. A few small fillings, but nothing too crazy. . . until I heard Mason's dentist start yelling (he already has quite a booming voice) things like "this is a first", "I've never seen this before".

Through the process of cleaning Mason's teeth, the dentist came across red and swollen gums. After further digging, he found a piece of lead (from a mechanical pencil) stuck between Mason's teeth. It had been there long enough to create redness and swelling. What the?!?

But, knowing Mason, it didn't surprise me one bit. He's always chewing on strings, metal, sticks, rocks, rubberbands, pencils, plastic, seeds,. . . I find myself constantly saying things like, "Mason, is that food? Don't put it in your mouth." I tease him about still being in the oral stage along with BabyKate.

As Mason walked out of the dentist's office, Dr. Taylor thanked him for providing "a first" for the dentist. In all his years, he 's found a lot of funny things in kids mouths, but he's never found the tip of a pencil.

Until now, of course.