No Smiles

My big boys: The Prof, Buck, Half Buck, and Two Bits got treated to Disney for a week by The Prof's parents. Yay for in laws this generous. They love Disney and wanted to share it with all the grandkids. So every couple years they round up a group of "young enough to enjoy it and old enough to walk it" and head off. This year they also took two other 11-year old grandkids. In a couple years it will be Cent's and Mite's turn.

You can tell which kids are ours in these photos by the lack of smiles. I know they had a good time. Every couple days they could be pried away from the fun long enough to talk to me. Especially my 8-year old Two Bits. They would gush about the coaster or the show of the day. Okay, Buck at 14 didn't gush. But he actually had something to talk about. I am grateful in more than one ways to my in-laws!

Through the marvels of modern technology, The Prof sent me photos. Really, isn't this an amaaaaazing machine we're using? How does it work anyway? How is it I can put a line of code for a photo and up it pops on my blog? But they never seem to smile. What is the deal, I asked. Are they really having a good time, are they behaving for Grandma and Grandpa, saying please and thank you, bathing, changing their socks occasionally. All those things Mom looks out for and The Prof replies, "oh, I hadn't thought of that."

I've asked the boys why they don't smile for the camera. It turns out they don't like the way their teeth look. Who knew? We just had our first consult for Buck's braces and took a gander at the payment plan. No I didn't turn shock white at the quote. But it sure felt like I did. We see the other recommended orthodontist in a couple weeks. Sure hope I can find a really good coupon for this. I didn't even think his were in bad shape. Of course I didn't know the little space between Half Buck's teeth bothered him. Like most moms I buy the shoes with room to grow. So a little extra space is a good thing, right? Now Two Bits I know has it coming. His teeth came in a zig zag pattern once those big Chiclets sized teeth appeared. Orthodontists have Game Boys for your kids to play with in the chair!!! So now you know what you are paying for. Anyway, this man who is going to get my lay-new-carpet-remodel-the-basement-and-buy-a-decent-minivan money says I ought to have Half Buck and Two Bits seen as well. Anyone with the top front four teeth can get started.

Yikes, now I'm not smiling either.