I Don't Remember It Being This Hard

On June 24, Mister Man went to the dentist (I know this because it was only last week that my insurance finally paid our claim and I got the updated bill from the dentist). The dentist informed my husband that Mister Man had two loose teeth. He was to wiggle them daily.

The loose teeth were news to us, but not too shocking. In fact, when I tried to wiggle then, I could sorta feel one wiggle but not even really the other one.

We encouraged him to wiggle.

He then informed us that he had seven loose teeth.

He didn't. He had two. We reminded him to wiggle.

The tooth got looser, but it still wasn't super loose. I kept up with the wiggle reminders. This week, he informed the receptionist at our chiropractor that he had a loose tooth and showed her.

Oh, look, Mister Man! It even has the new tooth growing in behind it. Cool!

Wait, what? Tooth growing behind it? NOT cool. Visions of hundred dollar bills being funneled to an orthodontist's villa in France flashed through my head. Oh, no. No, we aren't going to need braces because the child didn't wiggle his tooth. If we need braces, we're at least going to have a good reason.

On Thursday, I called the dentist to pay the aforementioned bill and asked how concerned I should be about this latest development. If the tooth isn't out by Monday, I was informed, I should make an appointment for the dentist to pull the tooth.

I didn't want to pay for a goofy dentist appointment to pull a baby tooth either, so the pressure was on Mister Man.

I tried helping him wiggle it, but my fingers are really too big.

I informed him that the tooth fairy doesn't come if the dentist has to pull a tooth. She only comes if the tooth falls out on its own. Something about how the tooth falling out sends a magical call to the tooth fairy to come that night. It's true, you know.

The tooth had to come out. Unfortunately, I had to explain this over the phone to him, as he was at Grandma's all day (long story, don't ask). And of course, Grandma and Grandpa did nothing to further the tooth loosening.

On Friday, he kept wiggling. And unfortunately, I had a lot to do on Friday, so I couldn't help him much (explain why schools schedule institute days for the days when you have the most to do). I could tell that it was getting looser, but it wasn't there.

I had a Girls Night Out Friday night, so at 4:50, I left the house and the wee ones in the care of my husband. I opened my book and promptly forgot about the tooth. Until I got a call from Mister Man about ten minutes later saying he'd lost his tooth!

I was surprised, but happy. Until I heard the story. Daddy took a whack at it. Actually, Daddy took two whacks at it and forced the tooth out. Then he had Mister Man rinse and spit in the sink, which freaked the poor boy out when he spit bright red.

But a lost tooth is a lost tooth, I suppose. If my husband was going to do that, it would have been nice to at least have been home to witness the miracle, but I'm not going to complain.

And yes, the Tooth Fairy did pay a visit that night. She brought her quarter in a fancy black velvet little bag and left it under Mister Man's pillow. You have no idea how excited he was to open it and get a whole quarter.



We still have one loose tooth though. Fortunately, I can't see or feel another tooth erupting behind it or anywhere near it, but that tooth is coming out this week. One way or the other.