The Art of Toothfairyness

Yesterday, my sweet Belle pulls her first upper tooth.

Okay...let me re-phrase that. She 'unknowingly' pulled it.

How? Wellllll....it's kinda a mom-thing. We are sneaky like that, us moms. Brilliant is more like it. haha

For some reason, this time she was nervous to pull it. Both of her front teeth are just kinda hanging there. The school nurse (as well as my friend!) and I were working hard the last 2 weeks of school to get at least one outta there...to no avail.

Enter today. I offer my new babysitter, who comes a couple days a week so I can go into the office during the summer, a 'bonus' if she gets Shelby to pull at least one.

They call me at work. It's bleeding. Annnnnnnnd...it's gross. But it ain't comin out.

I get home and she is just stressing over it just hanging there. Literally...when the child breathes in and out it moves. Ughhh....

She comes downstairs and lisp-asks for me to pull our her trundle bed. Seems she wants to move furniture around in her room (hmmmmmmmm...where does she get that procrastination technique?). And I tell her I'll pull out the trundle when she pulls out the tooth.

Frustration ensues. She whines that isn't fair. All the while with two fingers grasped on this tooth trying to protect it from me possible grabbing it with my cat-like reflexes.

And the reflexes come through.

I 'slap' her arm down (note: more like quickly push!) since her fingers are obviously hanging on to this poor tooth trying to jump out of her gums.

She looks at me and is astonished. "Mom! That could've hurt! Why'd you do that!" I answer, "So your tooth would finally come out." And she replies, "But it didn't!!!"

And the extremely brilliant mom answers, "Didn't it?"

YES. IT. DID.

She busts out laughing. I laugh... partially because I'm extremely grateful it worked. Partially because I'm THRILLED at her reaction. Whew.

One down. One to go.

Yep. The one next to it? Hanging by a thread.

D.R.A.M.A. here we come.


Later after she puts it under her pillow..."Mom...are you the toothfairy?"

Me: "Do I "HAVE wings!? I wish I did. Then I could fly! Woohoo! Can you imagine?!"

Belle: "But are you going to take it tonight then put money under my pillow?"

Me: "Again...NOT the toothfairy. Not my job. But I'm excited to see what you get!"

Belle: "Mom...thanks. I love you."

Me: :::::::heart slowly melts:::::::::::

Ben: "I think the toothfairy is kinda creepy. Someone comes flying in, reaches under your pillow...."

Me: "Bennnnnnn........."

Belle: "Whatever scaredy cat."

Me: :::::::::tries desperately to remember this moment forever::::::::::

Later. Much later that night. I sprout my magical wings. The same wings that rightfully, purposely and blessedly came with the Santa Suit and the Easter Bunny paw prints at the time of their birth. I sneak up the squeaky stairs, across the playroom floor that moans equally as loud as the stairs and finally reach the bedroom. I slowly reach under her pillow, careful to move her sweet head to the side. Instinctively I kiss her angelic face, then remember...oops...not why I'm here. I hope it doesn't wake her. It doesn't. Instead she sighs and turns. I take the tooth that was carefully packaged in a Lego container craftfully made by her proud big brother and replace it with a dollar bill tied with a silky blue ribbon (her favorite color) and some sparkly change. Because my Belle appreciates the sparkly things in life. Done. My goal as a mom...provide the happy.

Mission accomplished. Mission adored.

Wings tucked back in. For now.