Chloe needed to have a cavity filled today (despite our best efforts to limit her sugar intake, she seems to have teeth prone to problems). We went to her new dentist (who happens to be our dentist), and he got to work.

I hadn’t told Chloe that there’d be a needle – I didn’t want to freak her out. But our dentist is a smart one – after giving her the “sleeping juice,” he got the needle ready. Chloe, distracted by the TV – “Drake & Josh” to be precise – was oblivious to the dentist’s quick-handedness. She had no idea what had hit her. And having only been at the receiving end of that needle until now, I hadn’t realized how big that thing is. So it was that much more impressive that he managed to hide it from her.

We’re now home, and Chloe is in dreamland. She still has no idea that a needle was involved. And I don’t plan to tell her anytime soon, either. Maybe when she’s 30.