today we went to the dentist.
well, the kids did. i was chauffeur, hand-holder, reassurer, payer.
good times. no, really, they did great.
i love the predictability of the boys.
jude was first. of course, since he will barely let me out of his sight, i went back with him, sat on the window sill, just to be there, "just in case i need you mommy".
bryn was next. last time we went to the dentist, i had to lie down in the chair with him lying on me, to actually get the teeth cleaned. x-rays were absolutely out. but this new 4 year old independence was fantastic. he was all about doing it himself. he climbed right up there, mouth wide open (even though they were still setting up). ready to show how tough he was. x-rays all alone- mouth still wide open (because you are at the dentist).
i told them that i'd saved the hardest patient until last- zoe. the sensory-troubled one. the one with braces. the one who doesn't like 'feeling upside down in those dentist chairs'. the one who gathers all the stuff animals she can hold from the kid-friendly waiting room, to join her in the chair.
no, they said, no- you saved the sweetest one 'til last. "we love zoe!" they said. "she is so kind. so gentle. so sweet."
if there is one thing i've learned from that girl, it's that compliments will get you everywhere.
the beauty of zoe not having much of a filter, and her being typically happy, is that she speaks her happy, appreciative mind without hesitation. she exudes positivity most of the time, and about 100% of the time with strangers (except for the fish counter man at publix with the lobsters- see post 'begonias and little agonies.')
i'm not sure where she got this, but a year or so ago, zoe began ending many social activities with "goodbye, your wonderful!!"
people LOVE this. and in turn, people LOVE her.
perhaps the beauty lies in that she absolutely means it. she usually then gets in the car and says to me, "that wonderful barbara mcclure- she is wonderful!"
"those wonderful brewsters!- they are wonderful!"
who doesn't want to hear that they are wonderful?
she might have gotten it from my mother- who also exudes positivity- who can be filter-less and loving and sincere. i remember getting off of many flights, not even having been gone that long, and my mom waiting at the gate (back when you could) with a giant grin saying "YES! you're home!!!" as if i'd come back from war. i'm sure the other people watching thought i was, i was just gone for the weekend, but boy did i feel special.
so i've begun to spread the love. to be OK with affirming people even over small things. because positive, loving energy is good- always. because everyone wants to be reminded that they are wonderful. because when someone says you're wonderful, you feel more wonderful, you treat other people better- you think maybe they are wonderful too, you think maybe this whole great spinning world is wonderful. it gets paid forward.
i love that she tends to shout it back at the person she's leaving, with her hand beside her mouth like a megaphone. i love that she says it with a big grin.
i love that i know my girl just made someones day.
well, the kids did. i was chauffeur, hand-holder, reassurer, payer.
good times. no, really, they did great.
i love the predictability of the boys.
jude was first. of course, since he will barely let me out of his sight, i went back with him, sat on the window sill, just to be there, "just in case i need you mommy".
bryn was next. last time we went to the dentist, i had to lie down in the chair with him lying on me, to actually get the teeth cleaned. x-rays were absolutely out. but this new 4 year old independence was fantastic. he was all about doing it himself. he climbed right up there, mouth wide open (even though they were still setting up). ready to show how tough he was. x-rays all alone- mouth still wide open (because you are at the dentist).
i told them that i'd saved the hardest patient until last- zoe. the sensory-troubled one. the one with braces. the one who doesn't like 'feeling upside down in those dentist chairs'. the one who gathers all the stuff animals she can hold from the kid-friendly waiting room, to join her in the chair.
no, they said, no- you saved the sweetest one 'til last. "we love zoe!" they said. "she is so kind. so gentle. so sweet."
if there is one thing i've learned from that girl, it's that compliments will get you everywhere.
the beauty of zoe not having much of a filter, and her being typically happy, is that she speaks her happy, appreciative mind without hesitation. she exudes positivity most of the time, and about 100% of the time with strangers (except for the fish counter man at publix with the lobsters- see post 'begonias and little agonies.')
i'm not sure where she got this, but a year or so ago, zoe began ending many social activities with "goodbye, your wonderful!!"
people LOVE this. and in turn, people LOVE her.
perhaps the beauty lies in that she absolutely means it. she usually then gets in the car and says to me, "that wonderful barbara mcclure- she is wonderful!"
"those wonderful brewsters!- they are wonderful!"
who doesn't want to hear that they are wonderful?
she might have gotten it from my mother- who also exudes positivity- who can be filter-less and loving and sincere. i remember getting off of many flights, not even having been gone that long, and my mom waiting at the gate (back when you could) with a giant grin saying "YES! you're home!!!" as if i'd come back from war. i'm sure the other people watching thought i was, i was just gone for the weekend, but boy did i feel special.
so i've begun to spread the love. to be OK with affirming people even over small things. because positive, loving energy is good- always. because everyone wants to be reminded that they are wonderful. because when someone says you're wonderful, you feel more wonderful, you treat other people better- you think maybe they are wonderful too, you think maybe this whole great spinning world is wonderful. it gets paid forward.
i love that she tends to shout it back at the person she's leaving, with her hand beside her mouth like a megaphone. i love that she says it with a big grin.
i love that i know my girl just made someones day.
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