Birthday presents and teeth

I had my birthday recently, and Kristin has been wanting sno-cones very, very bad. So when Papi took her out to get my birthday present, she picked a sno-cone maker. And who says birthdays aren't for the kids, heehee.

We've been making sno-cones, they are remarkably easy. Also tonight, I dug out what she gave me for my LAST birthday...the ice cream maker, and used it for the first time tonight, after dusting it off quite thoroughly. It was a bit like a slushie but will harden up in the freezer I think. The taste of it was perfect vanilla ice cream, so I'll be using that quite a bit this summer. She loved it too.

I did get myself some books for my birthday and hope to catch up on some reading this summer.

She's made a new friend and we've had several playdates this week, and a birthday party at the park today.

A few weeks back, she stayed at a friends house late into the night while Papi and I went to a company dinner. The sitter commented on how well she brushed her own teeth, "what good form she had, it was actually quite scary." Her kids apparently weren't as far along in their own teeth brushing skills. And about a week ago, Kristin had a dentist appt., and they commented on how well her teeth were, and what a good job I was doing. I didn't mention to them that I haven't brushed her teeth in a long, long time. Because I know I'm supposed to be the one doing it until they are 6 or 7.

I brushed her teeth from the time they came in, until she was about 3 or 3 and a half. Then I made her do it. I stood right there beside her, instructing her, encouraging her and making sure it was done right, for about 6 months. By the time she was 4, I pretty much just put the toothpaste on her brush, set the egg timer and walked out of the room. And her teeth are perfect, her skills at brushing are apparently advanced, so maybe this whole concept about kids not being able to do it until they are 6 or 8 isn't entirely accurate.

We talked about the consequences and that you only get one set of adult teeth and I've held the brush while she held it, so she can get a feel of how it goes, but she's done it for so long now, and so very well, it's proof to me that when you assume someone can do something, you expect them to do it, and you've made sure they understand how, then you don't have to worry about it, and it gets done.