Only a day ago I was writing about how those first two little teeth popped up, right? Well, as with everything else, time with those teeth just flew by and the first one finally fell out today. What joy a cavernous gum-hole can produce in the life of a 5 year old! She was so excited and rightly proud that she'd waited as long as possible for the big event. We were all amazed by her restraint toward the end as it dangled by one spindly little thread-root. "Just twist it!" Mike would coach while I've been twitching, "Good Gawwd, just yank that thing out!", my repulsion only thinnly-veiled as 'awe' each time she'd bend it forward. But no, the nearer it's imminent falling the more protective Celie became, certain it needed to come out 'naturally'--which in the case of teeth, unlike childbirth, means 'with as little pain and blood as possible.'
For weeks now, the wiggle of this tooth has been a rich source of conversation. "Can you believeeee my tooth is THIS wiggly???" has been a constant question (my answer always changes), along with endless curiosity about how the beloved Tooth Fairy might handle our situation living in France. Will she know we're here? A unanimous Yes. Do you think she'll leave American money, or Euros? On this, the family seems split. Do you think she'll leave me anything special??--a question the dear Tooth Fairy hadn't even considered before learning that Kate got a heart necklace and Audrey received a My Little Pony. "The Tooth Fairy left them presents?!" I asked, incredulous, noting that I'd never received anything more than a quarter. But indeed, Celie assures me, this is what the Tooth Fairy does now, adding that maybe it was just a very long time ago that I lost my teeth. On this, she's right.
As you might expect, one of my favorite aspects of this experience has been her artwork. Mrs. Asbury (a.k.a. The Best Kindergarten Teacher in the History of Mankind) gave her a Summer Diary which she writes in every day, and her dental diagrams have been fantastic. "My Tooth is Folllling!" reads the caption to the one above.
But alas, nothing lasts forever--oh, how I loved the first sight of those little teeth!--and I imagine for Celie even the novelty of losing them might one day fade. (The incisors get all the glory, no?) But I suppose it's fair enough, as when all the whole world is new its just too much for any one thing to capture all the attention. I caught a glimpse of this even today, as she was already changing subjects by sentence #2.
