We got a paper in the mail yesterday confirming Lydia’s name change, so we’re all officially Tjerngrens now! It feels a bit anti-climactic after having waited for so long, but it’s still nice. Now we just have to get it switched over at school, the doctor’s office, etc.

On the subject–sort of–of doctors, I had a dentist’s appointment on Monday, and while the hygienist was scraping plaque from my teeth, the dentist told me that they’d be calling Lydia in for an appointment in a month or so. Her upper jaw is pretty narrow, apparently, and last spring they took a mold of her teeth to send to the orthodontist for a recommendation. The recommendation is in, and it turns out that she needs tandställning which can translate either to “retainer” or “braces.” I’m not sure which it will be, and won’t find out more until she’s been in for an appointment.

Not surprisingly, Lydia is less than thrilled by this development.  She’s much more concerned about the aesthetics than the potential discomfort, but me?  My worries are all about the discomfort. If I were being delicate, I might say that Lydia has a low pain threshold.  Or, not to put too fine a point on it, she’s a wuss. I dread taking her to the doctor or dentist, and most often I am able to talk Olof into going with her.  She’s never been seriously ill or broken a bone or anything, so this business with orthodontics is likely to be the the most painful thus far in her young life, something that will undoubtedly translate into pain for me and the rest of the family.

I can’t wait.