a visit from the tooth fairy

I think this visit from the tooth fairy has been on the books since way back in November when Caden had an unfortuante collision with the side of the bath tub. His tooth wasn't loose then, but it has been wiggly for the last few days. Yesterday morning as we were driving, Caden began fussing, "It's weally wiggwly. It's weally wiggwly." Then all of a sudden he cried out, "My tooth is in my hand! Take it mom!! Am I blooding? Will the tooth fairy come now?" Though he was full of anxiety and woe all week about having a wiggwly tooth, he was eagerly anticiapting a visit from the famed tooth fairy. We've never discussed the tooth fairy with Caden, but I think it's been a hot topic of discussion at preschool for the last few months. So he was looking to cash in.

After much discussion (read: disagreement) among the gap-tooth wonder's parental units about the price to be paid out by this tooth fairy, it was decided he should receive exactly $1.41. I realize this seems like an odd price to pay for a tiny little baby tooth, but perhaps if I point out that $1.41 equals 1 dollar bill, 1 quarter, 1 dime, I nickel, and 1 penny it will make it clearer. This seemed a unique amount and a good compromise of what the tooth fairy heaped upon Doug at $5.00 a tooth (pre-recession, I might add) and the quarter she shelled out for my teeth (I clearly was robbed, though I do rememebr receiving slightly more for the one tooth I swallowed!!)

Needless to say, this morning Caden was quite thrilled to find his tooth vanished and cash in its place. He's proudly shown and/or told everyone about it today. And thus, it's another milestone reached in Caden's life. I msut admit, I don't usually cry at milestones, but I welled up big time yesterday and boohooed about my baby growing up to which Caden impatiently replied, "Mom! It's just a tooth! You don't have to cry about it!"

gappy smile

Can you see the tiny hole on the bottom row of teeth?

the *tiny* hole in his mouth