Summer, the Dentist, and Walmart

I have reached the sweet spot in the summer where I no longer know what day it is.

It is a beautiful thing.  

After two weeks of swimming lessons at the Y and a week at the beach, it's my goal this week to leave the house as little as possible.  This, I've found, is the best way to fully appreciate the summer.  I've laid in the hammock, stayed up until 2am reading (I've fallen down the Colleen Hoover rabbit hole), binge watched Dexter: New Blood (because, challenge accepted, seven day Showtime free trial), and have generally tried to be as much of a hermit as possible.  It has been nice.

I had to venture out today because Harper had a dentist appointment.  When you're in the car with Harper, you're a captive audience.  She knows this.  It's painful.  On the way, I answered a barrage of questions including, "Do spiders drink water?  What about crickets?"  which led me to pondering how little I really know about the world.  I'm assuming they drink water, but I'm not one hundred percent sure, which just solidifies Harper's belief that I'm just "kind of smart, but definitely not a genius."  

She keeps me humble.  

After the dentist, we went to Walmart to pick out a prize because I'm not above bribing my child to act like she has some sense in public.  Both the dentist and hygienist bragged about her behavior, and said she was just perfect, and we all know that could have gone a completely different way.  

Bribery works and I will continue to use it.  

My before-kids self is cringing and thinking, "You're better than that," but my present-day self knows that, really, I'm not.  I eat crow on pretty much a daily basis when parenting this kid.  I've resigned myself to this.  I don't even care anymore.

Before I go into the rest of my story, you should know Harper also lost a tooth during this dental visit.  Her front tooth was loose, and she asked Dr. W if he could just "wiggle that right on out" for her.  Bless.

Harper carefully, slowly, pain-stak-ing-ly chose a toy.  We headed to the self checkout because there are few things the girl loves more than scanning her own stuff and getting her own receipt.  Happily, Harper grabbed her bag and the all-important receipt, then stopped.  Her attention was on the cashier who was monitoring the self checkout.

You can tell when Harper zeroes in on someone.  She gets quiet.  Pensive, even.  You can practically see the wheels turning.  I'm pretty sure the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, too, but that's beside the point.

I realized then that the cashier was (very noticeably) missing some teeth.

Before I could lean down to hiss a warning in her ear, she said excitedly, "You're just like me!  Is the Tooth Fairy going to come see you too?  I bet you'll get A LOT of money!"  

The woman smiled uncertainly.  I grimaced.  Harper beamed.

Lord help.  

Find your joy, y'all.