This morning will be the last time I see my 7 year-old’s mouth like this:
Because in just a few short hours, the dentist will “wiggle” those two bottom teeth loose.
Wiggle? Really? When I was a kid, the dentists weren’t so flowery and dainty about the vocabulary. My teeth were pulled or extracted. The harsh verb fit the rough-sounding action, right?
My son is probably the only 7 year-old I know who hasn’t lost a tooth yet. And now, his adult teeth have broken the skin and started coming up behind the two baby teeth which aren’t budging in the least. Not even a little bit. Not even a little of a little bit.
Apparently this situation runs in the boys of my family. One of my brothers had 19 out of his 20 baby teeth removed. 19! The poor kid never really got to feel the anticipation of having a tooth shimmy a little, then a lot, then finally come out while eating corn on the cob.
And now, I worry that my son might suffer the same plight. I told my son that the tooth fairy comes either way, so he doesn’t seem to be too worried.
The bonus to all of this? I’m spared the gruesome experience of watching those teeth dangle by a thin thread for days on end. Because even just thinking about that makes the hair raise on my forearms.
This dentist appointment has been in our calendar now for a couple of weeks, which has given my son lots time to build up excitement and anticipation about the Tooth Fairy’s upcoming visit. Not to mention that we’ve had last feasts of corn on the cob, apples, ribs, and anything he can sink his front teeth in to.
It has to be weird for my son to know the exact day the Tooth Fairy is coming. But I guess it’s like the work of any other one of those characters from Rise of the Guardians. Though I do wonder how kids would behave if they knew the day Santa Claus would deliver presents was a bit of a roulette wheel.
Now that the Tooth Fairy’s visit is approaching, there’s been some debate about how much the Tooth Fairy brings for this sort of thing. Originally, I was thinking $5 for the first tooth, $1 for every other tooth thereafter.
But now? Now that the teeth he’s had for six years, the very first teeth that showed up on those adorable baby gums, the ones that changed my baby in to a pre-toddler will be yanked with the aide of nitrous oxide from his mouth? Now I’m thinking the Tooth Fairy needs to up the ante a bit.
So, today we head to the dentist. Going in is a young little boy and coming out is a toothless kid. A KID. I will try as hard as I can to share in my son’s excitement at losing his first teeth.
And steel myself from wanting to succumb to collapsing in a crying heap at the thought of the last parts of my baby falling away.
You really got me with this one!! There is something very bittersweet about those first teeth coming out. As much as I love watching my kids reach all the big milestones it is still a bit sad that they are moving further and further away from their baby days!! I am happy for your little guy though, he must be beyond excited. I was his age when I finally lost my first tooth. I still remember that I got 2 dollars and a letter for it! (Mind you this is 40 years ago when 2 was really something!! Lol!) Enjoy!!
Kathy Radigan recently posted…When Mom Learns to Grow Up
I remember feeling VERY similar feelings towards him growing up when his first baby teeth poked through. And now it feels like the next physical milestones after teeth are body hair and odor. Far less exciting. Thanks for your happy thoughts, Kathy. He is beyond thrilled and could hardly get to sleep last night. (and I guess that Tooth Fairy needs to start working on a sneaky letter….)
I can’t imagine that milestone! I’m sure Mr. B was very brave. I think stuff like that hurts us more than the kids. I remember my mom being more freaked out than I was about procedures (and she still is). Can’t wait to hear how you did things, you great Mama, you!
Thanks, Keesha. He did GREAT! What a little trooper, so brave and excited. I really had to reign in my emotions that morning, trying to act like it was no big deal. He, of course, was up at the crack of dawn the next morning, excited that the tooth fairy had brought him money. What I wouldn’t do to keep him that young forever.