Ok, so I'm officially the worst mom EVER. If you'd asked me a few weeks ago I'd have told you that I was doing a pretty good job. I feed the kids when they're hungry, don't let them out in the cold without a jacket, and I hold their hands when they cross the street. I look out for their welfare and they're pretty obedient, happy, well-adjusted kids.
One of their few vices is apple juice. They don't really like milk unless it's on cereal and they aren't down with the whole water phenomenon. Admittedly, the juice I give them is about 70% water and 30% juice. I water it down when I prepare it and then put 1/2 water and 1/2 juice into their cups. I didn't think much of it. What I heard about juice mostly involved there being too many calories and, if you've seen my kids you'd know they could stand to put on a few pounds. They're both tiny, so I was happy to give them the extra weight. They didn't act like they were having too much sugar...no bouncing off the walls or cranky attitudes. So no problem, right?
Wrong. The other night when I was brushing Pumpkin's teeth I noticed a bit of food on his front tooth that wouldn't come off. I brushed a little harder, but to no avail. When I scraped at it with my fingernail and realized it was a cavity. Right on the front of his tooth, a little brown spot that mocked my previous confidence in my mothering skills. I almost cried right there in the bathroom. But that was nothing to how I felt today. I immediately made him a dentist appointment (his first ever) and we just got back. Not only does he have cavities or
pre-cavities in all four of his front teeth, but his two lower rear molars both have deep cavities that reach almost to the nerve. Another few months and he would have been in severe pain. Now he needs "baby root canals" in his back teeth and they're suggesting that we sedate him since he freaked out when they were trying to take his teeth x-rays.
Why oh why did I wait so long to get him to the dentist? Why did I let him have juice whenever he wanted it? Why did Pumpkin have to get Daddy's weak teeth instead of my strong healthy ones. I went to the dentist last week, too. After almost 2 years of no appointments (being pregnant and having a newborn aren't really conducive to dentist appointments) I have 0 cavities. None. No problems whatsoever. Daddy has cavities at almost every appointment. 9 at the last one. Of course, he's not as vigilant about brushing his teeth as I am...
So, my guilty conscience is now happy to accept the award for Worst Mom Ever. I'd like to thank the academy for this great honor. I deserve it. But I couldn't have done with out you, Seneca Apple Juice. Bless you and your affordable juice concentrate.
Sufficeth to say that now they're only drinking water and milk. They get a little juice with breakfast but only a little. They're adjusting to the milk and they don't mind the water so much any more. It was a rough couple of days...I guess they were more attached to the juice than I thought. But things are getting better. I just hope I caught Princess's potential cavities in time. She's got 7 teeth now and a few more on the way. Here's hoping I haven't severely damaged them, too.
