Thursday, November 12, 2009

A visit from the tooth fairy

It’s been a rough week in our house. The toddler is teething – one canine have popped through with three more on the way. I think we’re only four teeth away from a full mouth of teeth and it can not come soon enough. It seems each night for the past week, I’ve been awoken (because Brian does not seem to hear Lil B) by crying at 1 a.m. when the ibuprofen has worn off. Lil B isn’t too sure about ibuprofen. Sometimes he takes it no problem. Other times he won’t take it so to cut the fuss time down to a minimum, I put it in a bottle and then back to bed he goes. (start the scolding now, I’m waiting). One must do what they need to survive -- this I have learned from the past 17 months of motherhood. Last night was a little different. I gave him the bottle and went back to sleep only to be awoke 15 minutes later. This could only mean one thing -- a dirty diaper.  Back to sleep he went after the diaper change. At 5:30 a.m. I woke up to screaming. I made Brian get up and then the screaming wouldn't stop so I just got up anyway. Teething is tough business and sleep is overrated.

I remember the day I lost my first tooth. It was wiggling loosely and my mom dared me to just yank it but I was scared. After a little coaxing, I yanked it out of my mouth and she explained the tooth fairy was come and leave me a surprise if I put it under my pillow. "No way! Really? A Barbie?" She explained that it probably wouldn't be a Barbie -- maybe some money. Money was nothing to me at five years old. Barbies were worth more in my book. Then my mom explained that money could get me a Barbie and then I was all game for the tooth fairy to visit. So I anxiously went to bed and tried my best to fall asleep fast so I could get up and have enough money for a Barbie.

The next morning, I checked under my pillow and there were a few bright shiny quarters under my pillow but not enough to buy a Barbie. My mom explained that I had to lose a few more teeth until I had enough to get that Barbie and of course I had no problem pulling out the loose teeth. Each tooth I lost, I seemed to get more money. I often wondered how the tooth fairy was not waking me up but since having I child I know now the "fairy" would wait until I was in a deep sleep and then slip the quarters under my pillow.

When it was all said and done, I ended up with buck teeth and had to get braces in the sixth grade. I can already tell that Lil B is gonna need braces because he has the same spacing I had as a child with his two front teeth. I wore those darn braces until I was almost in high school. My senior year, my teeth started to move so back on the braces went for six months. I have a permanent retainer on the back of my top teeth so they won't move anymore.

I know I have a few years until the "fairy" visits Lil B but I almost can't wait until he grows up. What the heck, I can't wait until he finally starts talking. But maybe I should be careful what I wish for. I don't want him growing up too fast.

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