Fun Blocks

I made these blocks for Eli's room and I think they turned out really cute. Super easy too!

Dental Visit "Don'ts"

So as a dental hygienist, I have come to the conclusion that there are a few things you just don't do when coming to the dentist. Many of them appear to be common sense, but for some reason they seem to happen quite often. My top 5 picks are:

#5- Don't apply fresh lipstick/lip gloss right before you walk into the office. This one happens almost daily and I don't quite understand the thought process behind this. It ends up getting smeared all over--when I take x-rays it smears onto my gloves, and then the x-ray machine, and the x-rays themselves. I put on a fresh pair of gloves, but it once again smears onto them and all around the patients face, my instruments, etc. So do the hygienist, assistant, & Dr. a favor and just wipe it off before you come in.

#4- Don't give kids something to eat right before they come in & not have them brush. Especially if it is one of these items (which I see way too much of):
* Oreo cookies
* Cheetos
* Doritos
* Captain Crunch cereal
We do have toothbrushes that the kids can use to brush before we call them back. All you have to do is ask.

#3- Going along with the previous one--except it's even worse when an adult does this. Don't come in without brushing. I hear people say all the time: "Sorry if you find_____ (various food items). I didn't brush before coming. I just figured you would clean it all out anyway." Even though I do clean your teeth, it would be nice if I could focus on the plaque & tartar that builds up instead of spending half the time removing lettuce, chicken, corn, etc. Once again, it's not difficult to ask us for a toothbrush so you can brush before coming back to the chair.

#2- Don't talk on your cell phones once you are in the office. Just the other day I went to the waiting room and called a patients name. There were several people sitting on the chairs, but none of them stood up. One man was on his phone, so I assumed this was my patient. I stood there for several minutes and finally he hung up and I called his name again. While cleaning his teeth his phone rang several more times & he answered on both calls! In my opinion, this is just plain rude. I wonder what people would think if I answered my cell phone while in the middle of cleaning their teeth?

#1- Don't be LATE! I know there are emergency situations that come up, which I understand can cause a patient to be late. But other than that, you should always be on time to an appointment of any kind. It's common courtesy not only to the Dr & staff, but to the patients who are scheduled after you. So be on time or even early. There are many times that people come early and we are running ahead of schedule. They end up leaving the office earlier than expected. Now what could be better than that?

Getting Close

This was Eli last night on his hands & knees.
Playing with his new favorite toy a few days ago.

Just within the last two days Eli has started getting up on his hands & knees. He will rock back & forth and scoot his legs forward, but he hasn't figured out he needs to move his arms too. So then he face dives into the blanket. It's really funny to watch. Pretty soon he will be everywhere! Thanks to Grandma Joy for the stacking rings--Eli loves them.

Father's Day

It was Kaelub's first Father's Day as a dad, so that made the day a little more special this year. Eli & I took him out to dinner on Saturday at a new place we wanted to try. (It was between this place and Texas Roadhouse--Kaelub's favorite!) It got off to a bad start with weird salsa. There's nothing better than great chips and salsa, but we were disappointed right off the bat. And the food was just o.k., so we won't eat there again. But it was still fun to go out & then we came back home to watch a movie. I know--we are such party animals.

Tribute to My Dad--
This is a poem I wrote a few years ago and I think it's the best way to express how I feel about my dad this Father's Day.

Dad

I remember the time
So long ago
When I would sit on your lap
While you read to me
And the days when I would watch
Out the window for you
To return from a long day at work
Your job was not fancy
And didn’t make you rich in the world’s eyes
But in your family’s eyes you were a hero
All the vacations we took
The smiles, laughs, and sometimes angry words
Left memories that will never fade
They will be passed on from generation to generation
For all to know who you were and what you stood for
Now you are gone
And I try to be strong
But sometimes I still miss you
I know that you are free
From the body that held you back
It seems like forever before I will see you again
But I can’t wait for the day
When I can run into your arms,
Give you a hug,
And say, “I love you dad.”

6 Months Already!

I can't believe how fast time goes and that my Eli is already 6 months old. He is getting so good at sitting up on his own, moving around by rolling and sliding backwards, and laughing a lot. I feel so blessed to have such a beautiful, happy, healthy boy.

Hyperactive Eli

After Eli woke up from his nap one afternoon, Kaelub got him laughing pretty hard. And if you are wondering, he does have a crib that he usually sleeps in. But recently the sun has started to come through the blinds in his room, making it really bright. So until I get the blinds covered with something dark, he gets stuck for naps in his pack n play in our room.

Memorial Day

Hangin out with dad in the bean bag after picking peaches.

We had such a fun Memorial Day weekend. Kaelub's cousin, her husband, and their daughter came to visit us from Las Vegas. They brought their Wii and we had some good times with guitar hero & mario kart. I think Kaelub went through withdrawals when they left and he couldn't play bowling. On Memorial Day we went to Snepf Farm and picked peaches. So good! Thanks for coming to visit you guys--we had a lot of fun.