And no, I'm not trying to point out how much more yellow she looks in shot two. (Yes, THAT was the shot we took during her bout with jaundice!)
No, this is just another example of how life if passing us by far too quickly.
Braces. What's next? Boyfriends. (Oh, no she dih'unt!) That's right. She did NOT suggest that. Not even close.
Not even. I mean, boys weren't even on my radar until … oh crap, wait. They WERE on my radar, and WAY sooner. Do me a favor: DON'T TELL HER. Deal?
p.s. Yes, I always assume she would never dream of reading my blog.
Sharon says
… and they get to pick different colors every time. How come braces weren’t cool when I was wearing them?
She’s beautiful both ways 🙂
Joanne says
oh no! Not braces to close that cute little gap! She’s gorgeous no matter what….what a cutie.
melanie louette says
My oldest will be following right along soon.. tell me, did she have to wear the headgear contraption before braces? I’m curious if that was a come-on for more $ from the ortho..
In any case, she’s just lovely Cathy. 🙂
Kim says
Cathy, I feel like I’ve watched her grow thanks to your books and layouts. She’s absolutely beautiful! And I agree with another poster, I’m going to miss that precious little gap.
Start preparing the mash potatoes. My mouth hurts already for her.
Deborah P says
Beautiful both ways.
kelli says
Yes, it was not long after my son got braces, that he discovered girls didn’t really have cooties.
michelle says
Do I even want to ask why that girl, with those straight ass teeth, even needs braces??? 🙂
oh and her pic reminds me of something I’ve been meaning to email you about. I think of y’all after school every day when I pick up my boy. There is a girl who could be Aiden. seriously. She even acts as I imagine Aiden does. She’s like cool and smooth and confident and SUPER CUTE! I’ve even told her I know (“know”) someone who looks like her, she was all, okay crazy, like I give a crap.
o says
Aidan has a beautiful smile…before AND after. My kids’ teeth need braces too but theirs are all crammed in with too little space to fit all of them in so many are crooked. It hurts my momma’s heart that they grew in that way and now they need braces (which we can’t afford at the moment).
Terri says
have fun with the colors! and expect a bit of crankiness from time to time…. I guess they hurt (wouldn’t know)
Melissa in AZ says
Welcome to the world of orthodontia, Cathy! And yes, boys.
karla says
she IS beautiful!!! no piercings yet either?? or can i not see it… so sweet.
alexa says
She needs braces? What on earth for? She’s dazzling!
Stephanie T. says
ugh…who ever thought they would invent ‘two phase’ braces?! natty (age 11) gets hers off in two weeks, then BACK ON december 2009 (just about the time that lauren starts phase one)…3 girls and orthodontia $$$$$$$$$$
the first 6th grade dance is today right after school…thank goodness for ugly uniforms
from 4pound preemie to 5’3″ 11 year old…faster than the speed of light
Sue says
She is such a pretty girl with a beautiful smile. But when those braces come off, you better padlock that door, Cathy, ’cause the boys are gonna start calling!
Ann Grounds says
My 11 yo son is all over wanting his braces on! Each time we visit “Dr. Paul” it’s “Do you think I’ll get my braces today?” He is in this twin block apparatus that makes him look as if he is cranky all the time. Oh, and dear sweet little 8 yo daughter just got her (what I call it) expandomater retainer thing that we get to crank weekly. At least she gets to take it out, mine was cemented in AND with head gear 30 some years ago OMG! am I THAT old?
Ann Grounds says
Oh, BTW she is a cutie “jaundice” and all ;o)
sue Treiber says
I never looked one tenth that cute in braces!
Lori says
Hey, you’re lucky. My kids got their first round of braces at ages 8 and 9!!!!
Tina says
My 9 year old has had his on for just over a year (phase 1) and is hoping by Christmas to get them off…My 12 1/2 year old has no clue there are even girls in the world, except for me. Of course. He is way too inteested in baseball and his robotics club. The girls however, are noticing him. Eek!
Tina says
My 9 year old has had his on for just over a year (phase 1) and is hoping by Christmas to get them off…My 12 1/2 year old has no clue there are even girls in the world, except for me. Of course. He is way too inteested in baseball and his robotics club. The girls however, are noticing him. Eek!
Tina says
Sorry for the double post! Some kind of internal error…whatever!
scrappinkay says
you crack me up girl and Aiden is a cute girl, braces and all. Her teeth look pretty good in the before picture. We have been through the braces face, all that other stuff you talked about will come, the good and the bad and probably some of the ugly too, LOL. I’m speaking from experience here, DD is a senior this year. You know that saying “It’s been real and it’s been fun but it hasn’t been “real fun”, that’s kind of where I’m at. I’ll be glad when she is about 25 and she likes me again and we can be friends.
We did the belly button piercing this summer in Florida and I have no doubt that she will go get a tattoo when she turns 18. Can’t really say much, here Dad and I both have on, but we were 41 and 45, LOL and in Hawaii.
Wow, I am really rambling here, I must hit post before I tell you my life story, LOL.
sara says
Oh, I had many years of braces, and … sorry Cathy… they never kept me from dating.
Good luck with that, though! 🙂
karin says
aw, life moves way too fast … i’ve been noticing a few posts from you lately that seemingly are applying some brakes to that speed?! 😉 i feel the pain …. {sigh} she’s adorable – and the braces make her smile appear even wider, and that’s a wonderful thing!
completely unrelated – wanted to tell you about mixwit(dot)com go there, you will love it! (us old fashioned music gals gotta stick together ….) 😉
ronee says
OH I remember that moment.
When Tyra, who is now 13, got her braces one year ago, she was in a size 12, 4’10, and maybe 75 pounds soaking wet.
fast forward 18 months and she is 5’3, 123, age 13 and far more breast for the average 13 year old. BOYS>..luckily no boys. Just sports! I am not sure how long we can hold that off!
Debbie says
Did you have to do the soft food diet for a few days? Mine finally got hers off after three years and she’s only wearing the retainers at night. Love the pink!
Stephanie says
So, A day doesn’t go by without my reading your blog, and without sounding like your crazy stalker, I really think you are my long lost twin….that being said, your daughter is beautiful and may I tell you that my oldest daughter turned 15 on Tuesday and I don’t know where the time went or is going and the year of braces will come and go and she will get them off and it will be one more step to her being a more independent, older looking teenager and then you wonder if that gorgeous $5000 smile will attract more boys because I know I looked at good smiles and was attracted by nice teeth and the hormones…anyways, whew…run on sentence….cherish every moment and know that they are getting older, we are not Cathy, we are just getting wiser….
mel says
I’m such an idiot! In my head, I’m thinking…”um….not to be rude but I don’t think you have such a great orthodontist! Your teeth look exactly the same with braces as they do without!”
Ohhhh, the after picture is WITH braces! I’m a quick one alright! 😉
heidi says
She looks adorable. 🙂
Lisa says
My son had braces and he had great fun changing colours each check up. Perhaps your daughter could meet my son…in about 10 or 20 years!!!
Barb says
How awesome does SHE look?! I love the pink! 🙂
Linda says
She’s so beautiful. I remember Aidan’s pig tail layouts and now braces…where is the time going?
Sarah says
Sorry to burst your bubble, but I’m betting that your daughter is a blog-regular…
afterall, SHE is probably your BIGGEST FAN!
(By the way, she still is adorable WITH braces.. What beautiful children you & Dan have!)
Kelley says
She is one beautiful girl!
Dee says
Cathy,
I was thinking the same about the whole boy thing, then my 14 yr old started talking about boys that she thought were HOT!! EEK!! NOT YET!! HELPPPPPPPPPPP!!
Dee