Dr. Magic

There's a certain man I see only twice each year. He's kind, gentle, smart, and probably rich, and if I'm lucky I only see him for four or five minutes at a time. I can't say I look forward to seeing him, but I almost always leave his presence smiling and feeling good about myself. He's my dentist.

This past week he became much more than just my dentist -- he became my hero.

Despite our original plan to take Lucy for her first dentist appointment when she turned three, a whole year went by before we finally were able to schedule a visit and take her in. She came with me one time last year just to watch and see what happens during a check-up. And when the time came this past week for her to sit in that chair, she was brave and confident and did far better than I had hoped for. The hygienist was so proud of her, especially for a four-year-old, and so was I!

But after the fun part--riding up and down in the lounge chair, wearing the funny bib, counting her teeth and "tickling" them and polishing them--the dentist came to take a look. And then there was The Talk--the talk about sucking her thumb.

I just remember standing behind the chair where Lucy sat, unable to see her face, but cringing as I waited for her to cry. But there were no tears. Just some nods of her head and a couple of cheerful "okay's" as he told her she should try to stop, and blah, blah, blah. I can't tell you what exactly he said, and I bet that Lucy doesn't remember his specific words either, but the impact has been huge. I mean HUGE. And John and I continue to be amazed.

Since that day, we have not even one single time had to ask Lucy to stop sucking her thumb, or caught her doing it when she knows she shouldn't! Even a few days ago when she was falling asleep on a longer car trip and it would have been so second-nature--so natural--for her to slip her hand up near her face and pop it in. Even when she was watching (what she considers to be) a scary part of one of her favorite DVDs. Even sitting on the couch to read a book with one of us when her hands have nothing better to do.

It's been almost a week now, and still no thumb.

A year's worth of both Mommy and Daddy nagging and begging and reasoning did nothing. A three-minute talk with Dr. Magic was all it took. He has certainly achieved hero status in my eyes.