It happened.  My first baby has lost his first tooth!  This is Jet 6.5 years ago:

I can’t believe it.  Well, I can believe it, but for some reason,  I am in awe of this moment.  It feels like a bigger deal than going off to kindergarten.  I don’t really know why.  I’m not overly sentimental about things like this, but I can remember so well when those little bottom teeth cut through.  It was Halloween, and he was 9 months old.

 I was so surpised by and proud of every “first” my little Jet encountered (as I am with Avery’s and Wes’, but it’s just a little different with your first kid).  Perhaps this “first” symbolizes the end of the beginning?  That smile that I love and know so well will never be the same.

Also, the very day that Jet declared his teeth wiggly (he discovered two on the last day of K), I noticed Wes’ first two had popped up.

We all thought this was pretty darn cosmic!  What does it all mean???????

Well, a loose tooth meant one thing for sure:  We needed a tooth fairy pillow!

I invited Jet to peruse my Pinterest search for tooth fairy pillows for boys.  He landed on this one, and I should have known, he’d accept nothing less.  When I suggested making it with a color of fleece that I actually had on hand, he rejected it.  It had to be royal blue.  Sheesh, when Jet gets his mind set on something, forget it!  He even agreed to make a trip to Jo-Anns with me, a place he loathes, so that I could make this thing happen.

Now, I should say right off:  If you like this pillow, please consider purchasing one from the Fang Dangles Etsy shop.   It’s just too hard not to copy something when you know you can sew it yourself.  This company is trademarked, and it looks like they do lots of color variations.  Am I gonna get in trouble for this?  Seriously, let me know and I’ll pull this post.  Mom?

Here is my version:

It has a deep pocket, secured doll eyes, and a neon green ribbon for hanging.

I wish I could tell you that Jet was thrilled the next morning with his five-dollar bill (!) and written note from the Tooth Fairy telling him what a great brusher he is.  I mean, we got change for our teeth when we were kids!  But no, my child wrote a note back to the Tooth Fairy asking if she would “pleas bring something els”.

At least he said please.

He told me he wanted some Legos, or a key chain, or “a twenty”.  I knew this would happen.  I tried to tell him ahead of time that the Tooth Fairy is not like Santa, or his Chinese grandparents.  Did you know it is part of their culture to give cash to kids?  I’m talking large bills.  Jet and Avery clean up when we go out to visit my in-laws!

S0, after we had a talk about being thankful, and polite, and the fact that you have like 20 more teeth to lose, and the Tooth Fairy is not rich… He wrote a new note apologizing for asking for “something els”.   We are happy now!

Phew! Parenthood is extremely challenging and also extremely rewarding.  But you knew that already. I need a cocktail.

~Caroline