small bites

This week, my teeth are moving in baby steps, but as any braces wearer will confirm, a little change goes a long way. My bite now fits together in two different spots. The only way to describe it is that I'm beginning to "sense" what my final bite will be. If I push my lower jaw forward, the right side matches up. If I push my jaw & correct the asymmetry, then the left side matches.

It's exciting to feel movement and confirm that postponing surgery was a good thing. Overall, I feel general dental achiness shifting from tooth to tooth, plus some jaw pain and headaches through the day. I think the latter two symptoms come from clenching my jaw (especially when I try to pull my lips together).

Saturday I took the children to hear Lunch Money perform at our library. Marvelous outing. Though I couldn't eat any of the free popcorn, watching the children boogie to the music while wearing balloon critters was too cute. Rock on.

committment to loveliness

I have enjoyed reading Emma's posts, and so am adding some loveliness to our little household. My talents do not lie in the creative realm, but, my, how I have relished an outlet for homemaking crafts. Here is what I've been working on in July:

1. my first sewing project --reversible sister dresses - the tortoise shell buttons SO make the dress!



2. adding a fancy trim (discovered at $2/yd!!!!!) to our powder room shower curtain - I love how the trim ties the damask paper and silk fabric together




3. decorating the wall murals in our playroom with construction paper and elmer's

My next goal is to jazz up our den with some fancy pillows. It has only taken 14 library books, 6 trips to fabric stores, and my collection House Beautiful and Southern Accents mags to get started! Postponing my surgery date has had some benefits. :)

random thoughts

It's raining and thundering right now, dinner is on the stove, my children are hanging out with my husband while I catch a few minutes rest. It's been a busy day, a good day - I must be nesting in prep for surgery b/c I actually got excited cleaning today - even the baseboards and door frames sparkle.

For some reason, though, I feel insecure today about the whole surgery experience. Could it just be pms? :)

I've been daydreaming about changing surgeons, and returning to the swanky private practice in NC. Dr. T was amazing, and everyone has heard of him, but no one really knows my surgeon in SC. I know I have been through all these thoughts before. Perhaps it's time to call my surgeon for some reassurance. You know, at least share my concerns, etc. He's pretty cool.

I had a 20 minute og/gyn surgery two weeks ago and that alone has sent 11 separate bills for anesthesia charges. Though it's all to be covered by my insurance...cannot imagine how complicated jaw surgery will be.

It's is soooo good to have a place to jot down my concerns. I can tell my friends are already WAY BORED with jaw surgery stuff, and the fun hasn't really begun yet.

A first place finish

My braces made a sparkly debut at this year's Rockville Regatta. I felt right at home on Saturday night, when we danced, beach music style, amoung the Lowcountry's hippest teens, except these kids were all OUT of braces. Since my lips will no longer really close over the brackets, I decided to spend the whole weekend smiling.

I am so proud of my hubby who earned first place in his boat class! He is in the boat on the right of our dock. Go B. go!

Pho good!

Our town now hosts its very own Pho restaurant. My family and I ate at Pho Viet the other night, and boy it was yummy. Beef broth full of nutrients, easy on the braces noodles, fresh veggies, clean highchairs, hip techno dance music (well, I liked it!), and mango fruit shake for dessert. They offer bubble and jelly pearl drinks, too.

My husband smiled at me over our bowls of steaming broth. He said this was my kind of spot. So right!

You know, you can take the girl out of the city but you can't take the city out of the girl.

new brackets

Yesterday I went to the ortho for a checkup. Overall, a good appointment. A lot of little adjustments were made.

1. Two brackets were moved. One on my front right tooth, and the other on my right back molar, #7.
2. New power chain on the lower.
3. New metal ties on the upper.
4. Upper wire changed from square steel wires to flexible nickel-titanium.



5. The front tooth was polished, and you can notice the slightly brighter shade of enamel under the new bracket. Yeah, my teeth are still normal under all that metal.

Phew, not eating much since. My latest way to decide if it's been a good visit to the ortho? If I am limited to protein shakes and instant mashed potatoes. I'm becoming quite the connoisseur; today's flavor was "Four Cheeses.

A postponement

All parties have decided to postpone my surgery until mid October. I have mixed feelings on this. A later date provides the persistent gaps time to be resolved, gives me additional time to arrange childcare & to plan out my liquid diet using the fabulous new blog, Jaw Dropping Blends. The delay also postpones my plans for another baby several more months. I so wanted to be pregnant by November/December. :(

There’s always a silver lining…and mine is that I can extend my time nursing sweet little Buttercup. She’s nursing about once per day, and now that we can nurse for another two months, I’m glad I didn’t rush her to wean in July as I had originally planned. Saturday, I chatted with a friend whose baby is due in October. She talked about her plans for the next 10 weeks, and I realized, jaw surgery was kind of like having a baby. You wait, and read, and wait some more, and dream, and wait, then ka-boom, you find yourself at 3:18 am wondering when life will “feel normal” again. Too bad those handy zip-n-squeeze bags can’t making infant cooing sounds.

The whole postponement situation got me thinking. Think of all the fun projects that can be completed in 10 weeks! I maxed out my library card with books on sewing pillows, slipcovers (why not try something really useful?), no-chew cookbooks, children’s crafts, and decorating ideas. I filled up two notebook pages with “to do” ideas!

$100 molds

Here is a quick update while I feed the children breakfast. Yesterday's appointment went very well and I feel good about the surgeons. The chief resident and the attending surgeon spent 3 HOURS with me. The two Drs. answered all my questions. Their plan:

• impact my upper jaw, reducing my gummy smile by about 4mm.
• based on how much this swings my lower forward, move my lower jaw forward with BSSO, for a total movement of 4-6 mm.
• no decison yet on chin, waiting for final calculations from mold manipulations

Sadly, there was a mix up with the front desk and the big History & Physical + blood work appointment was postponed for another day.

It cost me about $100 in babysitting, plus gas and food, plus a day of my husband's sick leave to take the molds. Of course, finally feeling comfortable with the surgical team was "priceless"! :)

I smiled big when my husband looked at the chief resident, and said, "Well, Dr.C, I'm putting my wife in your hands."

The bigger surprise is the apparent confusion over who is determining that my teeth are ready. Ortho thinks the surgeon is pushing for late August, surgeon thinks the ortho is pushing for late August. It all started when I asked if we cold move forward in late summer and everyone said yes. Hmm. So hopefully, the two parties will sort this out soon. My teeth feel like they're still moving slightly, and while I was really, really looking forward to getting this all over with, I completely understand a little patience now will result in a much better result.

My little beauties are both running fevers today and are now wholly covered in yogurt and smooshed blueberries :) ...off to take care of them!