Because loose teeth are gross but childhood is sweet and short
January 12, 2006
Tre lost yet another tooth today. He seems to be spewing teeth out of his mouth at an alarming rate. Today’s tooth was a molar. He’d been wiggling it with serious devotion since the night before, and halfway through lunch at McDonald’s he leapt up from the table and announced he was going to the bathroom. He came back a few minutes later, blood streaking his cheek, and happily dropped the tooth in my hand.
“There ya go,” he crowed. I shuddered a little at the nugget of gore and enamel resting on my palm and forced a smile.
“Hey, great, you got it out. Heh. You…have a little blood there on your cheek.” He sauntered off to get a napkin and came back a minute later with a wad of paper stuck in his cheek. He took it out and inspected the blood, then shoved it back in.
“So, did it hurt?” I asked.
“Yeah.” He was nonchalant, and took off to play.
Tonight he put the tooth under his pillow with a note for the tooth fairy that read, “You’re going to go bankrupt, ha ha ha ha ha ha! I have another loose tooth! Just kidding.”
When I sneaked in to get the tooth he stirred so I scampered out of his room without leaving the dollar. I went back later to slip it under his pillow, but he woke up and lifted his head to look at me with a startled concentration.
“Hi, honey,” I whispered. “I just came in to kiss you good night.”
He nodded and offered me his forehead. I kissed it, then as I turned to go, he sat upright in bed.
“Hey, I wonder if the tooth fairy came!”
He rummaged under his pillow and was worried when he couldn’t find either the note or the tooth. Fortunately I was able to “find” his dollar where it had slipped down beside his bed (who am I fooling here? NO ONE. That is entirely beside the point). He unfolded the dollar and grinned at it in the dark. I hugged him and breathed in the puppy-dog scent of his hair.
“You know the tooth fairy would give you a million dollars for each tooth if she could,” I murmured.
“I know.”
“But then you’d probably be pretty spoiled, huh?”
He smiled at me and nodded.
“Yeah, I guess I would.”
He laid down and closed his eyes again and I tiptoed out.
Awww! I don't know why, but this one totally brought tears to my eyes. The moments between a mother and her son are priceless.
Posted by: Carrie | January 13, 2006 at 11:38 AM
The Tooth Fairy proved to be the downfall of all fantasy characters in our household when I was a child. A childhood friend reported to me that her mother was the tooth fairy! She knew because she busted her replacing a tooth with a dollar. Now, I was quite certain that her mother wasn't THE Tooth Fairy, but I put two and two together and confronted my own mom. And having dispatched the Tooth Fairy, I proceeded to axe the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus like logical dominoes. Then I was sworn to secrecy, because there was a younger brother to think of (he figured it out all on his own about 6 months later). :-)
Posted by: Sarah | January 13, 2006 at 11:51 AM
Awww.... Sweet boys and yucky teeth.
Posted by: Heather | January 13, 2006 at 02:00 PM
And how many has he lost since then? I think this child should be almost ready for dentures!
Posted by: Amma | January 14, 2006 at 01:06 PM
I think that we will not put the tooth under the pillow when the time comes. We will instead get one of those tooth holder thingies I see in the store sometimes. I am all for making life easier for Mom. :)
Hey Kira, I wrote some advice for you today. Stop by if you get a chance.
Posted by: Jensgalore | January 16, 2006 at 07:57 AM
At least the Tooth Fairy remembered to come to your house! She was so busy a couple of times taking money to all the kids who lost their first tooth that she had to wait a night to bring money to Drama Queen since she had already lost several teeth.
Posted by: Tonya | January 18, 2006 at 12:38 PM