My Mariah is a natural, all-star athlete. That would make her polar opposite sister, my Brooke, not at all athletic.
To fully understand their extreme differences, allow me to explain Sports Day and braces.
Sports Day in elementary school is an entire day dedicated to outdoor athletic competitions with every grade level in the whole school.
Mariah brings home either a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbon in every event she participates in. Brooke on the other hand, dreads Sports Day with such a passion, that she works herself into feeling “too hot” before the day begins. Brooke prefers to lay down in the nurse’s lounge during the events.
Mariah is also very accident prone. I believe we have counted up to 9 casts for broken bones. I didn’t realize until this very week what high level of pain tolerance Mariah truly has. Many of these ER visits were questionable. She hurt, but she handled pain so well that we never knew if it was serious or not until xray’s were taken.
What brought me to this conclusion this week was Brooke. Brooke had her braces put on one week ago. Braces. The common denominator of most kids her age.
Day 1: By the end of the day Brooke’s mouth ached. We have Advil.
Day 2: In tears, “Mom, please take these off. I don’t want braces anymore!” I don’t sleep. Pain meds are not enough for Brooke and I wake up no less than 30 times all night with her.
Day 3: I’m exhausted at work, my eyes burn and my colleagues continue to ask if I feel okay. Brooke hates her braces. Her lips are swollen. Her teeth hurt. And, I believe those thick strings are baby orajel connecting her lips from putting it on a little too thick. “Brooke, you have too much on honey.” Tears. Desperation. “My mouth hurts!”
Thank God in heaven that Brooke is spending the night at Grammy & Papa’s house!
Day 4: “Mom, how did Brooke do last night?” I think I will cut and paste Day 2’s night right here. It was just as ugly. Brooke is becoming increasingly difficult.
I find I am not as compassionate to her pain anymore. I’m tired and I need to sleep, so does Brooke. Ding, ding, ding … Nyquil has pain medicine in it!
Day 5: “Brooke, how did you sleep honey?” “I slept fine, didn’t wake up at all!”
I call the orthodontist office and explain that Brooke has a significantly lower pain tolerance than everyone else in this world and I need something to help! Yes, my Mariah pulled through like a champ, but this is Brooke. The opposite.
They have an emergency bag of supplies at the desk when I swing by including a mouth guard that will go between her lips and teeth, top and bottom, with an air hole to breathe.
She has to wear braces for a couple of years and I believe they tighten the braces every month or so. Tighten away, I am now ready!
Blond, brunette. Hazel eyes, brown eyes. Pink skin tone, olive skin tone. Athletic, musical & artistic. High pain tolerance, no pain tolerance. Narrow, curvy. My girls, opposites in so many ways.
