cross that off

Today has been circled on our calendar for awhile.

A kid and parent Rite of Passage.

First kid surgery.

{pre-op, d-r-u-n-k, recovery, new smile}

We discovered Guthrie had some pretty severe tooth problems back in March and today was the day of them getting fixed. We didn't tell a lot of people about this. Both because I'm getting more and more private and whoo boy you would not believe the amount of opinions there are out there about kid's dental hygiene. I mean you probably would if you have been on the receiving end of said opinions. Dental problems have always been associated with neglect, lower socio-economic class, poor diet; it's always someone's fault. It is unfortunate that those stereotypes are still thriving even if rarely accurate. Anyways.

It went well and we could not have been more proud of Guthrie and her courage. She was so nervous. We were so nervous. We are all so very thankful today is over and the circle can become an X.

Right now I'm listening to her recount the surgery to the neighbor kids through the window. It's a funny kind of bragging. First kid on the block to have surgery. Third kid on the block to lose teeth.

Negotiating the pecking order.

There were lots of funny and sweet things that happened today. Some sad and scary things too. I'm hoping the funny and sweet will outweigh the other stuff in Guthrie's memory.

I think it will, she's already told me a couple times that surgery isn't so bad.

Once we were checked in the nurse gave Guthrie some versed to start the sort of amnesiac qualities that they want - so she wouldn't remember leaving us, or getting the nitrous, etc.

The anesthesiologist kept spelling drunk which was funny because given that Guthrie was already acting d-r-u-n-k I don't think she would have even batted an eye let alone asked any questions had she actually used the word.

When the dentist was in the room giving us the final plan Guthrie gigglingly wobbled over to me, clearly ignoring the pamphlet we'd been given on preventing falls, and whisper-yelled "I HAVE TO GO POTTY!" John picked her up to take her to the restroom and they were almost out of the room when she veered out of John's arms, cracks up and yells "I ALMOST PEED ON DADDY! HAHAHA!!"

Oh Guthrie. You will have fun in college! Remind me to tell you about the time I had to pee by a tree during a midnight cross-campus trek. I'm pretty sure I thought my whisper-yelling was stealthy too.

Less fun were the fearful tears - on all our parts - in the hallway as we parted ways, the almost 4 hours of surgery, and the vomiting up blood (I told her it was red from red medicine). But, I think I can safely say Guthrie, you're the first person in our family to vomit in an elevator. Let's hope next time that happens it's because you are actually d-r-u-n-k in the elevator. Ok? That will be more fun, I promise.

We're home, albeit a few hours later than anticipated, and after a 2 hour nap Guthrie is doing well. Shifting between hyper and crying and exhausted and happy. A good night's sleep will do wonders I think. For all of us.

One surprise was that the dentist pulled her two loose bottom teeth - so she wouldn't aspirate on them. He saved them for us so that the tooth fairy could come. Important rites of passage all around.

I was unprepared for how old she would look with missing teeth! Like that time a couple years ago when she got her hair cut and lost what was left of her preschool/toddlerness, this has catapulted her firmly into the realm of grade-schooler. Her tiny lisp is so pronounced now and it is so cute!

We were worried she would be upset at the loss of teeth but she is instead thrilled. She feels super lucky.

Probably because she's already figured out how to push jello out the space where her teeth once were.