"No reading at the breakfast table"

January:  and my mouth is firmly shut! Fifteen months ago I had  braces  put on my teeth.  I had them off last week.  I feel very relieved.  Even though I had got used to them by the end, I still felt very self-conscious about them.  In my job I speak to a lot of people I don't know each day.  And every time I'd talk to them, I'd feel the desire to explain the braces. However, I did meet quite a few other 'adult bracers' along the way - it was quite bonding!  I also found it hard to speak clearly when I was up the front, even though I have actually done a lot of that in both my job and other contexts throughout the time.  So it is nice to be able to articulate words clearly and not feel very tired after speaking in public. I'd take a photo of my teeth (and they do look lovely) to show you, but three days after I had them off, I developed the foulest cold sore I've had for years.  Weirdly, I had no cold sores while I had the bra...

In the second part of my series on 'Material Things that Bring me Joy' (joke:  this is not actually a series), I'd like to explain why I am up so close and personal with a packet of marshmallows. Had my braces adjusted yesterday and for about a week afterwards it always feels like someone has pummelled the inside of my mouth (which in fact, my orthodontist has).  And marshmallows are my friend and comfort through this week.  Carrots, apples and small children sitting up suddenly while on my lap and banging my chin, are the enemy.

Thankfully I don't look as bad as Darla from Finding Nemo! I've had braces on my teeth since the end of April.  I am almost at the six month mark and I'm really quite over the whole experience.  Not that I've ever enjoyed it.  It has been quite painful, lots of mouth ulcers, sensitive teeth, stuck food - the list goes on.  My teeth are looking better but because they keep shifting it affects the way that I speak (and I talk a lot ;).  I've been lisping a lot in the last fortnight. There have been many times that I have felt like hibernating and not having to show my face in my public. But that's not an option in my life.  So I've decided to just live with them and get over my self-consciousness.  I do find it hard to speak in front of a group of people.  Last term I did story time at playgroup each week and early on in the term I asked the kids if they knew what I had on my teeth.  One of the gorgeous little girls said, "I know - y...

I went to a house warming on Monday and a friend posted this photo of me with my daughter on facebook. Bizarre - I had my crooked teeth on Monday.  Now I just have gaps.  I'm certainly not smiling so enthusiastically anymore! Just putting the photo here for posterity. And by the way, that's the back of the crazy 3 yo in front of me.  I think her hair is indicative of her state of being at the moment!

I didn't think I was particularly vain.  I had braces put on my top teeth yesterday and had two baby teeth removed.  Thankfully I have a beautiful top lip that covers it all so you wouldn't notice unless I showed you.  The bottom teeth will gets braces later on. However, leading up to it I have been feeling vulnerable about how I would look.  I also had to get glasses this week (only for reading thankfully).  Suddenly my face is not my own anymore!  Well, it's still mine.  Just a new version of it. Having teeth extracted was OK but I've been feeling exhausted and a bit sick since yesterday.  The braces do feel strange.  And my poor teeth are very sensitive.  I can't bite anything hard and it's looking like scrambled eggs for dinner. Strange experience.  I wouldn't go through this for purely cosmetic reasons (it's expensive and my teeth weren't that crooked) but I had to do something about two baby teeth that were about to fall...