Out with the Old and In with the New

Teeth that is!

While there are many happy and wonderful moments to share regarding Christmas - the family, the trips, the happenings, the Ice day - those will all have to wait (at least until I learn how to get the pictures and videos OFF of my iPhone and into the blog!)

For the moment, I wanted to share a HUGE happening at the Plummer house - Brady has lost his first tooth! We discovered the "wiggly one" right before we left Florida on the 30th, and we have worked diligently at moving it around... with fingers, tongues, food and toothbrushes!

Over the weekend, Bill and I tried to coax him to let us pull it out, and Grandma provided some First-Grade Teeth Secrets via Skype, all to no avail. When he headed out for school this morning, I should have given that baby mouth one last kiss, for when he hopped in the car after school - grinning sheepishly - the mouth that greeted me was no longer that of a little kid!

Apparently as Brady retells the story, he made it all the way through lunch, but as he bit down on the mini candy cane I had packed for dessert, the tooth just "fell out into my mouth, and started down my throat, but I sort of threw it back up and popped it out of my mouth!" Wow~ that sure was dramatic!

I snapped this picture in my car while still clogging the carpool traffic! We just HAD to send it to Daddy immediately! When we got home Brady also shared the letter he wrote during "Read, Write, Rest" (15 minutes or so of quiet, calm time used to help the kids settle down in the early afternoon.)

Safely packed away in a zipper baggie, we will later transfer the tooth to our "tooth box," slip it under the pillow and eagerly await the arrival of the Tooth Fairy!!

Now, a "Mommy Note." I actually learned of the missing tooth while walking through the school today headed to Parker's room for my Mystery Reader appearance. I was stopped by the school's lunch lady and told, "Brady lost his tooth today at lunch!"

Immediately tears filled my eyes. While excited for Brady's milestone, I am very sad knowing that I missed it. I didn't get to see the look on his face the instant he realized it was gone, and I'll never know what his first words were in celebration. So far, I've been blessed to have been around for all his "firsts," and I wouldn't trade those moments for anything. Sure, there will be other teeth (19 more to be exact) but none will carry the amazement of the first.

Not surprising, Bill's reaction was similar to mine (though I'm assuming he didn't cry at his desk!) It made me realize, with even more sadness, that as "Mommy and Daddy" we won't be present for other firsts as well - first sleepover at a friend's house, first solo trip to the movies or mall, first time out driving by himself, first romantic interlude (though I'm pretty sure I don't WANT to be there for that one.)

I guess perhaps this is a first of my own. It's the first time I have to let him experience the moment without me. Now, Brady clearly doesn't think I missed a thing - and I will be there for the first visit from the tooth fairy! These thoughts are simply the selfish musings of my mommy-brain.

Nonetheless, the day was certainly a "first" for us both.

P.S. Some say that when a door closes, a window opens. Perhaps the loss of Brady's first tooth will open a small window, ushering in the arrival of cousin Annie's first dental delight!! ;-)