Tinsel Teeth UNITE!

Little guy met his rite of passage last week with a two year commitment to his smile.  Yep, the wires and brackets became a permanent part of his face.

He couldn't be more excited.

I forgot as a kid how excited I was when I first got my braces.  They were something cool (well, back then they felt that way).  And since they weren't permanent, it was kinda a no loss no foul dorkness.

Second time around in this fam.

If this doesn't show our stark difference in age gap between the kids I don't know what would!  Jeremy turned 12 the week before Coop was born.  He was (and remains) the BEST big brother in the entire world.  I think our main advantage has been the kids just don't fight - they didn't fight over toys, or time with us.  They had totally different experiences and each of them had (has) us all to themselves.  Virtually raised as only children with the added advantage of knowing a sib is there to help along the way.

Bubba really didn't like me when he got his braces.  Nope, he wasn't my biggest fan at all.  He really didn't need them - his teeth were about as straight as could be.  But he had one gap in his two front teeth - a character trait from his other side of the family - that I couldn't bear to see.  So - I fixed it.  That's what mom's do. :)

Little guy however is a hot mess.  His teeth are a challenge to say the least.  But the great news is I know they will be perfect in the end, just like his brothers.

Oh - and word to the wise... if you wait 11 years in between paying for orthodontia, the price goes up considerably.  Just saying.

Have a great Saturday, friends!  We're off for basketball at none other than the University of (gasp) Kansas.  Little guy will be exhausted - he says he has to hold his breath all day so he doesn't get "the funk".  He's not brainwashed or anything....

Jen