Break the Tooth Fairy's Bank!

Kate has been telling me for years that she had loose teeth, but every time I checked, they were still solid. I started to think that she just wanted wiggly teeth because the dentist had told her two years ago that her "big teeth" were coming in and gave her a tooth case for when she lost her teeth. 

 

This week (on Wednesday) Kate told me her teeth were wiggly and at first I just dismissed it thinking that it was just like the other times. Then I realized that she was 6 1/2 and quite likely could have a wiggly tooth. Sure enough, she had two super wiggly teeth. I told her to keep wiggling it and try to turn it, etc for a while and I would check on it later. Kate came to me later that day to show me she had lost her first tooth. Actually, Ethan pulled it out while he was distracting her with questions. (I told him he would make a great dentist some day and he bashfully smiled at me.) Kate was super excited about finally getting a treat from the tooth fairy.

While we were on the subject of losing teeth, I told Ethan he needed to pull out his tooth. It has been ready to come out for months, but it has been wedged between the two adjacent teeth, keeping it in place. He was a little apprehensive about it at first, but I convinced him that if he could pull out his sisters tooth, he could certainly pull out his own. After a few minutes of wiggling, he had it out. The tooth fairy had two pillows to visit on the same night!

The next day, I had Kate work on her other tooth, which was just as wiggly as the first one was. It took quite a bit more time and effort, and even took a little of Dad's help, but by Thursday night it was out. 

What I thought was so funny was Thursday night the kids were arguing between themselves saying, "No, you say it." "No, I don't want to. You do it." I stopped the fighting and asked them what the problem was and they said to Ryan, "Dad, we think you are the tooth fairy." After a little explanation, they said that because the empty tooth cases always end up in Dad's drawer after the tooth fairy comes that surely Dad must be the tooth fairy. Ryan explained to them that the tooth fairy gives him the tooth cases just as easily as she gives them the candy under their pillows. They were pacified by his answer...for now.