Brush, Brush, Brush Your Teeth...

If you buy a toddler a new toothbrush, be sure to get rid of the old one.

Sounds obvious, right? Not so.

We bought Siena a little toothbrush, which we shall call "Elmo Too'Brut." And she loved it--so much that, the next time we were in Target, she took off the shelves a battery-powered toothbrush which also bears the likeness of Elmo, though we shall call it "Dat Too'Brut." We didn't know we'd bought Dat Too'Brut until we got home--she's a sneaky little bugger--so we just set up Dat Too'Brut next to Elmo Too'Brut.

And guess what? Siena insisted on brushing her teeth with both toothbrushes every time. Not that she actually brushes. More like she sucks the toothpaste off the brush, then rinses. But we figure it's good to start these habits as soon as possible.

But every toothbrush wears out over time, and Elmo Too'Brut was no exception. So Mama got Siena a new toothbrush, which we shall call "New Too'Brut." But for reasons to which Daddy is not yet privy, Mama did not discard Elmo Too'Brut when she installed New too'Brut.

So what does Siena do? Brush her teeth three times, every time. Except she still doesn't really brush her teeth. Can a toddler OD on flouride?