End of several eras – rapidly approaching.

Today we went for an orthodontist appt. 17 months after we began our journey with fixed braces it appears the end is in sight. Today Big had an impression taken for the retainer that will replace the upper layer of braces – it surprised me that this was taken with the braces still on. And on the bottom she was fitted with a permanent retainer across the front six teeth. In two weeks time we return and the braces will be removed.

All of this means that she is again in quite a lot of pain tonight. Although me chasing her to take painkillers seems to have helped. And even though it’s pizza night, she had soup. Along with the permanent retainer we were advised to get superfloss which apparently is really really good (according to Big) and she wishes she’d had it much earlier. It sounds to me like it would have been a better buy than the various little interdental brushes we’ve tried to help her clean around her braces – but no one told us that before 🙁 In two weeks time we go back to have the braces removed and the retainer fitted – at that point I’ll do a post wrapping up the whole process.

Then we raced back from town to get to the pool for her last Rookie lifeguard session. Two years of hour long sessions each week through term, each half term there’s been a two hour test. It’s been a cause of far too many hours spent at the leisure centre, but I think a really good investment as I’m now pretty confident that she won’t make any daft mistakes to get herself into difficulties in or around water, and she also possesses skills that might help others. The major thing that is stressed throughout though is that you never never put yourself in danger so hopefully she won’t do anything dangerous trying to be a hero either.

I do think the leisure centre missed a trick though. There’s no award ceremony – you even have to pay an extra two pounds per badge. I can’t help feeling that children who’ve put this level of effort in for this length of time ought to have that recognised properly with some kind of ceremony – and surely it would be good marketing for the leisure centre and its classes??

Anyway, I’m proud of her, and I’m pondering a suitable treat. Suggestions in the usual place, please.

Oh, and just because it needs to be here to mark the date – Tigerboy rolled back to front this morning. He’s done front to back a few times already, but that marks the major achievement really. He’s very very close to sitting up and I can’t help feeling that movement won’t be far behind. And then we’ve had it.