Having a Falling Out with a Tooth

It happened. My little one lost her first tooth...and I missed it.

We discovered the loose tooth on the way to the airport. Well...actually, we discovered it's replacement tooth, that was coming in just behind the baby tooth.

"I think I have a cavity!" Little Miss said.

'A cavity...let me see...OMG a new tooth!" I said, clearly shocked.

The entire ride home, Little Miss wiggled the loose tooth. We discussed different types of food she could try eating to loosen it up even more...and even (jokingly) talked about tying a string to it & yanking it out.

A week went by and the tooth was literally hanging on by a thred. I had a shoot to get to...and we had tried everything to get the tooth out before I left. I begged Little Miss to not lose the tooth while I was gone...not this one, anyway...it is the first one.

"My tooth came out. I am sorry," was the text I received about an hour later. I teared up...at my photoshoot...in front of my clients.

I got home and joined the excitement of waiting for the Tooth Fairy! Little Miss was beyond excited and had a bit of a tough time falling asleep. She must've woken up just as the tooth fairy was swapping cash for the tooth- because not only did she (or he? We must be PC!) leave money in the tooth box, but he/she also left a gold coin taped to the outside of the front door! (Creative fairy, eh?)

I am determined not to miss the next tooth-fallout. And apparently, so are her teeth b/c not one is loose.

Spider Mama

Charlotte's Web was one of my most favorite movies in the world, growing up. So naturally, when Little Miss came home from school wanting to snuggle and watch the glorious story about 'some pig'...I was all about it!

After the movie, homework, dinner and some playtime- I was drained. Why was I drained? Because Little Miss's attitude was just as rotten as a tomato that had been in the sun too long. Foul. I fussed...and nothing changed. We argued...nothing changed. By bedtime, my attitude matched hers.

"The only reason I fuss about your attitude and correct your manners is because...it's my job to make sure you grow up to be a nice, kind, polite person..." I explained to her, as we discussed our days before bed.

"I want people to hear you speak and think Wow! What a polite young lady! Not...Ugh, here comes Little Miss Bossy Pants with no manners!"

She looked deep into my eyes as I spoke. I felt like she was really picking up what I was putting down...it was finally resonating with her!

"Mama?"

"Yes, baby?" I said, thinking she was going to apologize for her earlier actions.

"I'm glad we aren't spiders...because...if we were- you'd be dead. We wouldn't have met!" she tells me.

"Oh...well, I'm glad we aren't spiders too!" I say.

My question is this. Is she comparing us to spiders because she loves me so much and would be sad if she didn't know me? Or is she thinking that, if I was a dead-spider-mama, I wouldn't be punishing her for her attitude? Either way...I am pretty happy to be a human.