Operation Brace Face: Phase Four

Phase Four 

Well Miss D has had another appointment and is now the proud irritated owner of an expansion plate. (these were called split plates 15 years or so ago) 

For those of you who don't know these are made to expand your upper or lower jaw if they are not wide enough. This is the newest and best way to expand your jaw with out breaking it like they used to do in the stone ages. With this device you get a special key and widen the device according to your doctors instructions. 

Miss D's is on her upper jaw and for the next 3 weeks we have to turn it once every other day.... JOY! 

Eating and swallowing has became difficult (she has only had it for a few day) but this should become easier as she gets used to it. 

She now also talks with some what of a lisp since her tongue can no longer reach the roof of her mouth. 

This should also change in time since she is not used to it. 

Example of expansion plate

The key

Hero

This blog post goes out to all of our heroes, no matter what they do!

As a child you are asked every year to who you’re hero was.

Most kids would answer simply Superman, Batman, or any other super hero that came to their minds at the time, or whoever was popular that year.

My answer was always the same.

I can remember from the time I was in Preschool to the time I was in 6^th grade my hero never changed. Even to this day it has never changed (though it is no longer required to be written or spoken out)

It was my dad.

To me he was a “super” hero; he was in the United States Air Force and a fire fighter for 20 years.

Though he is retired today due to medical reasons I will never forget the pride I had when I saw him at the station and or on the fire truck.

I never will forget the fears I encountered when he would get a call when he was at the house and had to rush out the door.

I will never forget that that feeling of relief when he would be the one coming to our rescue when me or my sister would do something stupid at home ( try to fly off the bunk beds and miss the bean bag chair, slip and fall in the driveway while playing Miss America)

The stupidity was endless in our house, but dad and the gang was always there sirens blazing to rescue us!

As a firefighter their job comes with many rewards and many hazards.

One major hazard my dad faced was when he fell, I believe to be three stories during a fire.

He has never been the same.

My hero who was always active and standing tall now walks with a cane and can no longer do the things that he loved to do including playing softball.

He has had many surgery’s to help repair his spine form the damage it faced and next week he faces another. I will get the honor to be there when he gets home from the hospital along with his super cute nurses (aka grandkids). I know it will be hard to be strong but my hero needs me and that is something I never thought I would have to say.

My hero may be broken body wise but I am so glad to know that his spirit cannot be so easily broken.

Dad if you read this please know you will always be my hero! 

Operation Brace Face: Phase 3

Yesterday was Ms. D’s check up at the orthodontist. She had her spacers taken out and then fitted for her full brackets (the ones that go in the back and wrap around the whole tooth).

They did an impression of her upper jaw in order to make the split plate that she has to have put in on the 15^th of April. Needless to say she did not like that step and gaged numerous times.

Nothing worst then thinking your child is going to up chuck all over the orthodontist office!

Ms. D also got to change her colors today, something that she was excited about and was unexpected. She chose silver and hot pink!

Here are the new colors!

Up next: Spilt plate inserted to widen her jaw…. Stay tuned! 

Operation Brace Face: Phase Two

Well today was the official start to operation brace face! 

This morning we went to see the Orthodontist and up until chair time we were both excited, this was quickly diminished when D hit the chair and they started their work.

D received 4 brackets, and 2 spacers this morning to make room for the brackets for her split plate in the next few weeks. 

Needless to say I am no longer D's favorite person. :(

She will thank me in 2 years I am sure, but until then she said she will no longer smile for me. 

She was excited to receive her shirt which she picked camo and a water bottle full of the essentials to keep her braces and teeth shiny and clean, which included her new BFF wax, a timer, floss, tooth brush, mirror and other goodies!

The assistant went back over the "No-No" list with her in which she was not thrilled about, but D did take the copy with her to school so she can be sure not to eat things on her list at school. Which for me is comforting and shows that she is thinking about the importance of these next 2 years. 

Here are a few pictures of today's events! 

Our before Image

Adding the first 4 brackets

RED! 

Operation Brace Face: Phase One

Operation Brace Face is going to be a series of blogs on here that will follow my oldest daughter and her adventure in getting her braces! 

With the world as it is this is something most parents will have their children endure.

About 15 years ago I endured this very thing and I thought it would be a series that would help parents as I face the challenges of this Operation. 

Soooo.... let's begin.

About a year ago we went to her dentist for her 6 month check up and cleaning when they noticed that D had a lot of crowding in her mouth and that she needed to see an orthodontist. With this said we went back and forth a few times doing preventive work which included have 4 teeth pulled. These were baby teeth as they hope that they will not have to pull any adult teeth in her future. 

So 2 weeks ago we went back to the orthodontist to see if they were going to do more preventive work or if they were going to go ahead and hit me with a bill and start Operation Brace Face. 

Well it was the latter....

I will not disclose our final price for these since every client's pricing will vary but I will say that it is about what I expected and the hubby on the other hand thinks it is highway robbery. UGH!

That day they sent us home with what they call the "No-No" List:

This is everything she can NOT have while wearing her braces. 

Let's just say she is NOT HAPPY about it! 

The "No-No" List includes:

Ice

Pretzels and Hard Chips

Hard Rolls and Bagels

Ribs, Wings and Bones

Nuts

Popcorn

Raw Carrots and Celery

Beef Jerky and Slim Jims

Pens and Pencils

Candy Suckers, Sweet Tarts, and Jolly Ranchers

Fruit Roll-Ups, Frozen Candy Bars, Gob Stoppers, Gummy Bears, and NO Gum of any kind

Now you see what all the fuss is about! 

D will have to wear them for about 2 years and will also have to have what they call an expander aka split plate prior to actually getting the braces on.

She will start the process March 11th

 (which is 2 days after her 11th birthday (again not thrilled with mommy at this point) 

We will follow her and her progress and the rainbow of color changes. I will get her input and opinions on Operation Brace Face and how it feels to be the patient. 

I hope you all enjoy this series!

Here is Miss D! 

Design on a Dime Valentine's Day

This last weekend I finally decided to decorate my table for Valentine’s Day. Since we do not have a mantel in our home our kitchen table’s centerpieces are usually where I get to decorate for the season. Down fall decorating a mantel is so much prettier. Perk you don’t need a lot to make an effective punch!

Since I am a starving art student along with the rest of the many hats I wear I don’t like to spend a bunch on décor if I can help it. (Which we all know, this translates to my husband would have a fit and I can justify it better by spending lessJ) Since I know a lot of people can’t afford a huge amount on décor I thought I would share this thrifty but impacting idea!

I took a trip to our local Dollar Tree (Dollar Store) and picked up these adorable cylinder vases. Total for these $2

 Since I have three kids and not a hint of green thumb in my body I opted to use fake red flowers (roses) as a filler, I got 3 for each vase.  Total for these $6

So that is a total of $9 including taxes!

When I got home though I was a little upset with the fact that there was a lot of green showing through the vase, I happened to have rose petals here at the house, which you can find at Wal-Mart for usually 97 cents for a bag of 500.

This brings my total to about $10

Last night I added my “Love” blocks which I purchased at Target last year for $2.50.

SOOOO we are at about $14 including tax (complete guess-timation)

I have had the glass squares for many years and they have changed homes (the bedroom, bathroom, living room, and now our kitchen) So I can’t remember the price of them. :/ And I don’t really count them in lol.

SO lets recap!

Vases: $2

Flowers: $6

Rose Petals: $1

“Love” Blocks: $2.50

Total: $11.50!

 Don’t forget though to add your area tax which will bring my final total to…

$12.30

2012 in a Nutshell

It’s that time of year, the count down to the end of 2012! We are 2 weeks away till Christmas and boy am I NOT ready! I have yet to start shopping…. :/ I keep saying I will start earlier each year but seems like I wait later and later.  Such is life!

2012 has been an exciting year for us and the first full year we have spent in Arkansas. The girls have transitioned well, with the help of technology they are able to keep in better contact with family via, texting, calls and emails. I have yet allowed them on social networking since I think that they are still a little young for it.

All 3 girls are in school now and I experienced a lot of mixed emotions on this! Aaliyah is in Kindergarten and loving it. She is beginning to read and I am in awe with how far she has come in 5 months! Alora is a straight A student and loving 3^rd grade. She is my social butterfly and is always talking about playground gossip. (Laughs) Dakota is in 5^th grade and still in the gifted program; she was picked to compete in her school spelling bee later this week so she is excited. This is her last year in Elementary School before she is advanced in to Middle School. In May 2013 I will have the honors in seeing 2 of the girls “graduate”.

All 3 girls have picked a home church and goes with Alora’s BFF. They will be participating in the Christmas program this year, and yes I will be going (Pray the walls don’t fall around us). They are all in JBQ (Junior Bible Quiz), and seem to love the education they are receiving about God and his wonderful word. I am so blessed that Alora’s friend’s mom allows them to join her and her kids.

Anthony has stared his schooling for his electrical license and seems to be excited about it. When he isn’t at work or school; he still enjoys watching movies and being outside, either playing ball, or outside with the kids.

As for me I am a stay at home slacker , I mean mom, I am right at my one year mark in school and I maintain the kids, hubby and house. WtP is slowly picking up and the custom gifts is getting there too. Hard work is starting to pay off. I am excited to start new things with both departments in WtP and continue my schooling. I am still looking for a job, just something for extra cash and keep me from brainstorming too much.

2012 has been a year of blessing and a new road for us. We are looking forward to what 2013 will bring for us and if we will be closer to reaching our goals.

Happy 2013 you guys!