Fluoride Rinse

This is just a little story about our funny, little boy:

When Spencer went to the dentist in January, his dentist found a couple of small cavities between his molars and recommended a fluoride rinse to attempt to maintain the size of the cavities.  Hopefully then we wouldn't have to have them filled before he lost those teeth.

We brought the rinse home and Spencer used it twice without much trouble.  Then he got sick and put up a little fight about the rinse.  I didn't force it because he was feeling rotten.  He stayed sick for almost two weeks and then absolutely refused to use the rinse again.

We tried several negative consequences and reward systems, but something about that rinse was so awful that he wouldn't budge.  He eventually lost every one of his 28 "Cars eye guys," but even the lack of his very favorite toys wasn't enough to persuade him to rinse.  His primary teacher (a friend of mine) even oftered to bring him a special prize if he would do it, but no go.  Finally after a month of haggling, Alan and I lost the battle and gave up. 

I couldn't just give his cars back to him though, so he's been earning them back one by one by doing special jobs for me.  How many 4-year-olds do you know that would rather help clean the bathrooms than rinse for a few seconds to get his own cars back AND earn a special new car?! 

 

As frustrating as it's been and as expensive as filling those cavities might be, at least I know that we have a kid with a lot of willpower.  He is definitely not a push-over and I have more confidence in his ability to resist peer pressure now.  If these kind of battles were common, I might be more worried about it.  Spencer is really such a good kid.  Here are a few quotes from his primary class:


Teacher:  Who are the two men getting the Priesthood in this picture?
Spencer:  Joseph Smith and Lucifer.  (laughing) I mean Oliver. 

Teacher:  Are you going to the primary activity on Friday?
Spencer:  I’m not sure.  I need to find out when it ends.  Do you know?  I need to start getting ready for bed at 7:15 so it just depends when it ends.
Teacher:  I can’t remember when it ends but I’m sure your parents will let you stay up a little later that night.  


After watching a short movie on the conversion of Alma the Younger:
Spencer: I KNOW that's true.  It really happened.

Spencer has an amazing memory and I don't know where he gets his maturity, but I feel so blessed to be his mother.  He teaches me to be more loving and Christ-like all of the time.  We are so blessed.

Leprechaun Trap

Thanks to pinterest, Spencer and I had some fun with St. Patrick's Day this year.  We made a leprechaun trap.  Spencer doesn't usually love crafts, but he was all over this one.  Especially finding the sticks to make the ladder and the rocks to paint for fake gold in the backyard.  We thought the leprechaun might get hungry in the night, so we googled leprechaun foods and put a small cup of rice, grass and clover in the trap.

 

Alas, we didn't catch a leprechaun, but he did eat our snacks and took our "gold."  He also left a note and a few candies for Spencer.  :)  Ahhh, the magic of being a kid!

 

St. Patrick's Day is such a weird holiday.  I'm not sure what it is about it that makes so many Americans go slightly crazy.  Maybe it's just an excuse to drink beer and I don't get it since I obviously don't drink beer.  Alan put on a Luckython race on Saturday.  About 600 runners/walkers turned out in the rain and the majority of them were wearing at least one crazy, green article of clothing.  Spencer and I ran the 1k kids race again.  They held this race at a golf course and it was perfect for the holiday.  The rolling green hills and the rain made me feel like I really was in Ireland.  Uberthons even had a delicious potato bar catered after the race.  It was a pretty great event.  I just wish I could have run more than 2/3 of a mile.  Maybe next St. Patrick's Day. 

Let the Birthdays Begin

We have an awful lot of birthdays in our family coming up in the next few months.  Alan's Grandpa Larsen started us off last weekend.  We feel blessed to live so close to Alan's grandparents.  They are so loving and thoughtful and it's fun for Spencer to get to know his great grandparents.  Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Something to Remember

Come May and June, when it is still cool and rainy in Oregon, I need to remember all of the lovely days we've had in February and so far in March.  It really has been a mild winter for us and Spencer has played in the sunshine without a jacket multiple times in the last few weeks.  Watching Spencer and our neighbor E. play soccer, shoot baskets and ride bikes while feeling the warmth of the sun on my cheeks was so cheering yesterday.  My bulb shoots are several inches out of the ground, the trees are budding and the birds are coming back.  Life is good.