Moneymaking schemes

Our little boy is growing up. Andrew survived his first official tooth loss today, and we did too. There had been one previously, but it didn't really count as the tooth had become loosened because of an accident and came out prematurely. This one, though, was the real deal.

He first noticed it was loose last week and upon discovery was distraught. He worked his way through an entire meal taking miniscule bites and refusing to use his flatware because biting down on his fork was what had lead to the initial finding. After that meal, though, he got used to it and I hadn't heard much about it since.

Until this morning that is, when he awoke in a red alert level of distress because said tooth felt "weird" and was "extremely loose" and was "really very bothering" to him. I knew it must be progressing because he refused to eat anything and wanted to drink his milk with a straw. Oh, and there were tears. Many, many tears. He wanted to know how we would know when it was loose enough to fall out and how would he keep from swallowing it? I assured him that of all the people I knew who had lost their teeth, I didn't know anyone who had swallowed one and then suggested, gently, that we could take a look and see how loose it was and that possibly it was ready right now. That idea was met with nothing but more tears and the red alert distress went all crimson and maroon on me. He was adamant he wanted me nowhere near that tooth. So, we decided to give it the day.

I e-mailed Mark as soon as I got to work and told him that we were going to have some more counseling to do tonight and that he might want to get his tooth pulling grip ready.

But it was not to be.

When I arrived at school this afternoon I was greeted by a chorus of, "Henderson lost his tooth!" Sure enough. Henderson's tooth was proudly displayed in a ziploc bag that was taped to his cubby for all the world to view. He was the legend of Pre 2 today.

After congratulating him I asked how it had fallen out of his mouth. His response? It didn't fall out. About five minutes after I left this morning his teacher, Danielle, pulled it for him.

So, I see how it goes.

Tonight we put it in the special pouch that Grandma made for him last time and he was full of questions. He wants to know if the Tooth Fairy flies or walks. What does she look like? Is she big or small? How small? How does she know which pillow it's under and how does she find it without waking him?

All good questions, son. I am pretty sure she walks and I hear she's stunning. I like to think she's on the smaller side, but the scale indicates she's getting bigger everyday. She knows which pillow because, well, she knows these things and she does it all without waking you because, thankfully, you're a very sound sleeper.

I did my best to answer his probing questions but I'm not sure he's convinced. This kid is a little too analytical for this nonsense. He does, however, love to put money in the bank so he went with it. I tucked him in for the night but I have a feeling that our sound sleeper has one eye open right now and there might be fishing line across his bedroom threshold. As soon as I wrap this up I'm going to text that fairy and tell her to tread carefully.