Last Monday Emma had this

Fitted to her lower teeth. Like this:

Except hers is removable for washing and when she eats.  (Most kids get it glued in, but the orthodontist felt she would cooperate with replacing it, which she does!

She was very brave, likely unaware of what was actually happening.

 But she did go to the nurse a few times at school to try and get her to take it out!  It didn't hurt, it's just taking up precious space in her little mouth.  It took her a few minutes to figure out how to speak but she got over that very quickly.  Unfortunately she can not eat a thing with it in, but that is helping me restrict her over-eating!  At school the nurse removes it before lunch and puts it back in, but at home she can put it in by herself!

She's due to get a palate expander across the top in a few months which will make it even harder.  Not sure how to feel about that.  

I realised that day just how used I have become to not really needing any intervention for Emma.  I got comfortable where we were at, and have been since her gtube came out and she started kindergarten.  Now we are back to speech therapy, we have orthodontics that will be a regular thing for about a year at least.  Trying to balance that with all the usual family demands is a challenge.  

I'm glad the summer is just 5 weeks away, when we have no sports, no school, no homework and plenty of sun and time at the pool!  The calm before the storm since Toby enters the school system in September!