Cracking the Nut that is My Daughter's Mind

When we got home from Hawaii, Maggie started doing this totally weird thing every time we tried to put her to bed. We'd get her ready, and then she'd go into this frenzy, emptying her room of pretty much anything she could get her hands on - clothes that were on the floor, random books, small pieces of furniture - even wayward ponytail holders. It was just a bit disturbing in a "what's wrong inside her head" kind of way. We tried things like, "If you leave it in the hall overnight, it will be gone in the morning..." and she'd say, "Okay, I don't want it anymore." This was true of things that had value - both sentimental and $$$. For those things - say a special handmade quilt, when I asked if for sure she wanted me to get rid of it, she'd say, "Can you please put it somewhere safe for me in case I want it when I get bigger?" So, there's a bunch of stuff that's been put away for safe keeping - all the while, Jay and I have been mystified over what seemed to be our daughter's desire to live out her preschool years in the style of a monk who's taken a vow of poverty.

Last night, she said something that stopped me dead in my tracks, made me sit down on the spot and have a Mommy A-Ha Moment: She told me she's been cleaning out her room to make space for her big girl bed. I asked her to repeat herself. She did. If I had been videotaping my face, I'm sure that a giant lightbulb would have appeared over my head. When we were in Hawaii, she and Ellie slept in twin beds (when they weren't sleeping in our bed with us...) I have been floating the idea of a full bed to her - her toddler bed converts - and I guess she just decided to clean the kid stuff out and get the ball rolling. Whew. She's not totally weird.

Although... on a different topic, we went back to the dentist today with the completely ambitious and crazy goal of getting her teeth polished AND x-rayed. We dropped Ellie at KinderCare and drove over. Mags was EXCITED because she actually had a positive experience the last time we were there (she got lots of cheap toys from China, but it's all about quantity, not quality when you're four.) So, we got there and Siobhan the hygienist WASN'T THERE. But the lovely Vera was. (So, let's throw our progress the last time out the window and start all friggin' over.) Unless we want to come back - because, as I was told, "we need to keep Maggie's best interest in mind." Maggie was totally UNCOOL with trusting her chompers to Vera, but stronger than her complete distaste for the kind Vera was her unconquerable and undeniable NEED to get her little body into the Toy Closet. And to get to the Toy Closet, you must actually commit to going through with the visit. Poor Vera was on the verge of giving up when I decided that I would try leaving the room. As soon as Mags had ascertained that I really could no longer see her - "I don't want anyone to look at me..." , she hopped up on the chair, started chatting, laughing, telling stories and opening her mouth while Vera not only brushed her teeth, but also polished her teeth, did a fluoride treatment on her teeth, flossed her teeth, and yes, took not one but something on the order of FIVE x-rays. All the while, I was seated on a chair fit for a three year old behind the wall dividing the "treehouse room" from the "underwater room" trying not to move for fear of throwing off the delicate balance in the universe that was allowing all this action to take place. Of course, once the dentist came in, Vera and I had to leave because when Maggie opens up to talk, she doesn't want anyone to watch. As soon as Vera and I left, Mags started talking to the dentist. I heard things like, "Look at all the stuff I got!" as she showed the dentist her take from the Toy Closet. Then I heard, "The other dentist said I could go back to the Toy Closet and get more stuff!" So, we left with THREE light-up tiaras, various plastic baubles, and enough brushes, floss, and toothpaste to clean the teeth of a village of children for the next six months.

No cavities, all is well... We'll see how she does in six more months. But rock on Dr. Shebani and her people. Once we get done, it is nearly impossible to get her out the door. They are all about, "Stay as long as you want!" It is like a freakin' toy store paradise in there - while Mags was playing following her visit, the "Toy Man" was there unpacking giant boxes from Pottery Barn Kids and letting Mags have first dibs at the new toy refrigerator, shopping cart, toy food (which was actually very nice, although I'm sure frighteningly expensive)... Why would a kid want to leave? Which, I suppose is the point.