Tooth Fairy Catastrophe

Tonight, my daughter lost her 7th tooth. After 2 months of wiggling and jiggling her tiny bean of a tooth, she twisted and turned it until every last thread of tissue was disconnected. Gross. Nasty. The "pop" sound a tooth makes when it is pulled is very distinct. Weirder than watching your child lose a tooth, is watching the new gargantuan permanent teeth fill up half your child's tiny face. If reminds me of those bath capsules that have a foam animal inside. You put the capsule in warm water and as the plastic melts away, large foam dinosaurs grow before your very eyes.

She pulled the tooth herself while hubbie, brother and I stood cheering her on in the small bathroom. Just when success was about to be achieved, the tooth went flying from her tiny hand into the great abyss. She started crying hysterically, deeply worried that the tooth fairy would not come if there was no tooth. Hubbie, brother and I scoured the bathroom. No luck. The tears started coming faster and I knew full blown sobs were near.

Hubbie says, "Honey, the tooth fairy knows you lost a tooth, don't worry. She always comes, no matter what."

Strike One. She didn't buy it. She looked at him incredulously and cried harder.

Then, I said with that mommy-means-business-face , "Alex, really that's enough. Come on, honey. Stop it right now."

Strike Two. I knew we were on the threshold of total and complete devastation. Bedtime was near and unless a miracle happened, our 20 minute tuck in would turn into a 90 minute one.

On the cusp of a third strike, I suddenly remembered that I still had some of her old teeth from the last time the tooth fairy visited. I ran into my bedroom, grabbed the old tooth and pretended to find it on the bathroom floor.

And, she bought it. The tooth fairy is about to leave a buck under her pillow as we speak and she is sleeping soundly.

I just hope we don't find the bloody tooth in the bathroom tomorrow...........