Ruthie Toothie

Disclaimer:
Be advised, what you are about to read may or may not uncover truths you are not wanting to accept. Read with caution.....

Growing up we are fed legends of mystical people or animals. We are told if we believe, they may bring us something on a special day or holiday. Insert the legend of the Tooth Fairy. A glorious story of a magical fairy that when you lose a tooth, will come and take your tooth that is hidden away under your pillow, and leave some coins in its place. Although I think now the Tooth Fairy leaves green bills because let us face it, it's hard to keep up with inflation.

I remember the excitement as a child the night upon losing a tooth. I anxiously would place it in the perfect spot under my pillow so the Tooth Fairy would have easy access to it. I would lay there in anticipation, unable to sleep right away, with thoughts of a late night visit from her.

Now having my own children I think about these mystical and magical things. And I wonder where is the parent's version?! Our daughter in the last three weeks has had eight new teeth! And it looks like numbers nine and ten are shortly behind. It has been quite a surprise. It took nearly a year for her first tooth to come in. She had well mastered walking before she could even take a bite out of her favorite crackers. Her constant chewing and biting accompanied with gallons of drool was not the only sign she was plagued with multiple insults of teeth breaking the gum line. Though she is not much of a sleeper in general this teething business makes for long nights for our poor little one and mommy. Let me also make mention of her ornery behavior as well. And so where is the Tooth Fairy when I need her? I think for every tooth that arrives, parents should receive some compensation as well. Be it green bills or some medication that actually helps them get through this agonizing process in the circle of life. Luckily for our little miss she has a very good big brother who insists on reading her Dr. Seuss's The Tooth Book nearly every day so "she knows what is going on and she's not scared about it." And also because "it's very important she takes care of her teeth because these ones will fall out and her second ones come and that's it, that's all she gets!" So says her big brother.

So maybe next round Tooth Fairy, when you come to visit our children you can leave a little memento for those of us that suffer right along with our teething children.