The Teeth
September 29, 2011
It’s the beginning of the end of babyhood. The loss of the first baby teeth from my last baby’s mouth. Though since he had to have them pulled I am still kind of in denial about this whole growing up thing.
I am not sure there is anything more guilt inducing as a mother than your child needing extensive dental work. And needing to be sedated to have it done because he completely freaked out and lost his little mind at the previous dentist I had brought him.
So this time, he had a nice shot of valium he drank out of a little shot glass. (I was a bit disappointed they didn’t give him a little lemon wedge and some salt on his hand.) And then he had the laughing gas, something which does not make him laugh. It makes him ANGRY. VERY VERY ANGRY! THE STRAWBERRY GAS DOES NOT SMELL LIKE STRAWBERRIES!! It SMELLS LIKE POOP!!! STINKY POOP!!!! And THE MASK IS STUPID!!!!!
And even stupider than the mask on his nose was the blood pressure clip on his pinky finger. He would put his hand under the blanket he had on and pull it off. The dental assistant would put it back on. Repeat. Again and again. Finally, she told him it was a little finger puppet. He held his hand up, looked at it in his drugged stuper, struggling to focus his eyes, and said, “Well then, THIS IS THE STUPIDEST FINGER PUPPET EVER!!”
He was very excited for his first tooth fairy visit. I had posted to twitter that someone needed to remind me of my duties. My 10 year old was STILL waiting for a visit from the tooth fairy since early June.
Thankfully I remembered. Right after I went upstairs the next morning, flipped on the bedroom light, and said, “Goooood Mooooorrrrrning!”
And of course this is the one and only time Miles has popped upright in bed immediately awake. I ran downstairs to my wallet. I had a $10 bill and a $5 bill. I ran back upstairs and Miles was sitting on his bed, the little teeth in his hand, the corners of his mouth turned down. “The tooth fairy didn’t come.”
I sat down on his bed, stuck my hand under the pillow, and pulled out the $10. “Look, she left your teeth and gave you money!”
He was so very excited. “I bet she left the teeth because I didn’t get to show Dad them.”
“I bet you are right!”
“Do you think she will give me more money if I put them under my pillow again?”
I stuck the $5 bill under my 10 yr old son’s pillow.
Over breakfast everyone marveled at the generosity of the tooth fairy. My oldest son said, “Gee, back in my day we got a dollar!”
“That’s because back in your day the tooth fairy was younger and better prepared.”
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Hahaha. I am currently intentionally holding out on tooth fairy duty for my youngest because I forgot for at least a week with my oldest’s last tooth and even though I actually have cash (!) I can’t make it seem like this child’s tooth is more important or they will fight/brag/annoy the crap out of me. If I hadn’t read this entry I would have legitimately forgotten forever or until he reminded me. Stupid tooth fairy duty.
October 2nd, 2011 at 8:32 pmI was in grade 2 when I started having teeth pulled. When I went for my second round, I asked if I was getting teeth pulled and I started sobbing so inconsolably that they had to reschedule. My parents were given a prescription to sedate me by giving me something in the middle of the night and then first thing in the morning so that I’d be groggy when the time came. Fifteen teeth later, I can say my wisdom teeth weren’t an issue!
October 2nd, 2011 at 8:40 pm
Glad to know I’m not the only “tooth fairy” that forgets to pay up!
October 2nd, 2011 at 9:39 pmIf he is really entrepreneurial the tooth fairy may come to his Dad’s also!
October 3rd, 2011 at 3:12 amI can’t stop giggling at this. I forgot earlier this year as well, wrote a note from the Tooth Fairy. We’ve finally FINALLY found a dentist that doesn’t make my oldest doesn’t cringe. She still needs sedating for anything more than a cleaning, though. And I hate that it’s my fault; I’ve been on a never ending quest toward fixing my teeth and I’ve clearly passed the bad teeth gene on to her.
October 3rd, 2011 at 9:25 amMy son hid his first tooth. He didn’t want the tooth fairy to take it away…even for money. It took us a few years but he finally told us where he put it. I assure you the tooth fairy would have NEVER found it…it was in his underwear!!!
October 3rd, 2011 at 10:51 amMy youngest scored $20 for his first tooth because I work overnights and my husband forgot! He pulled a similar move as you, but was quick to point out that he thought the tooth fairy was paying him for his whole mouth up front.
October 3rd, 2011 at 10:52 amWe need a picture of Miles!
October 3rd, 2011 at 4:42 pmIn my house the tooth fairy gave more when the teeth had to be pulled out:)
October 3rd, 2011 at 11:39 pmI just want to say how great it is that you seem to have such a pleasant relationship with your ex.
Strange how I felt the need to “applaud” that when it really should be the norm.
But really.
October 3rd, 2011 at 11:56 pmI’m new to your blog, but I’ve loved reading you on Alphamom! This story made me laugh b/c it reminded me of my childhood. Our family likes to joke that our tooth fairy was a drunk. We’d get random amounts of money weeks, sometimes months, after our tooth loss. And with 5 of us losing teeth all over the place, sometimes the tooth fairy would be on it, and sometimes not haha I enjoy reading about your family! I’m glad the tooth fairy was on it for y’all
October 4th, 2011 at 10:53 amWhen my daughter, age not quite 18 months, had to have one of her front teeth pulled the tooth fairy wrote her a note about how brave she was, and left her $50. She still hasn’t seen it. It sits in her baby box, waiting for her to get a little older. She’s nearly 7 now - and has lost many other teeth on her own [I think we're up to 5 now], but I know the note, and dollar amount will mean more to her when she’s older. Yeesh.
October 4th, 2011 at 4:40 pmThanks. That made me laugh.
October 4th, 2011 at 9:29 pmOnce we made a fake tooth to put under the pillow because my son wouldn’t part with his real tooth but wanted the tooth fairy to visit. Oddly, the tooth fairy was fooled.