Miss Maddy recently added elastic bands to her mouth gear (well, technically the orthodontist added them). You know the ones? Where an elastic on each side attaches to a top bracket and a bottom bracket so that when you open your mouth you have little bouncy mouth bungees spanning the gap?

Well, for the record, she's been a great sport about wearing them around the clock as prescribed (and the good news is that this step is winding up the whole braces process). As a bonus, they have given the kids around her no end of fascination. A couple of weeks ago we had a cute girl come sit by us at church while her mom went out with the baby. She was fascinated by Maddy's elastic bands and seemed convinced they were there solely to make her giggle, like finger puppets or a funny hat. So giggle she did, unendingly, pointing at Maddy's mouth with delight.

On Sunday Maddy sat with a different family since I was sick and G and Sam had to sit elsewhere. Later, at home, their three-year-old daughter was cutting up little pieces of string. When her mom asked what she was doing, the girl asked her to glue them to her teeth so she could have braces, too, a la Maddy.

Who knew braces could be so fun and captivating? Like a puppet show in your mouth!

. . .

G and Sam went on an overnight campout last week so we had some quality time around here, the girls and I. One of the things they wanted to do was go to a makeup counter and get a makeover and lesson. So we did. (Lauren was excited that she got the Asian guy makeup artist because she contends her eyeshape is very nigh unto Asian. So she got some good tips.)

It was good, free fun. Which is just the kind we like around here after Christmas.

p.s. That's why Maddy is all made up in the top photo.