It's GONE

Well, it's not really GONE gone.. Technically it's still here.. faithfully tucked in a sweet little Monster Pillow, awaiting a visit from a certain Fairy. But it's gone from my boy's mouth. Forever. Yes, my "baby's" first baby tooth is gone. It fell out today. At school. While he was chewing gum as a reward for being a good listener. (Why oh WHY is he so well behaved..... Is it bad to halfway wish he would have been at the "naughty" table so the tooth wouldn't have fallen out right then? I would have loved to be the one there to see the surprised look on his sweet face...) (- :

I really didn't think him losing a tooth would be such an emotional milestone. I truly thought I would probably be more irritated disappointed it happened before our family pictures (shallow, I know..) But then I remembered why this is a big deal.. This isn't just any ol' ordinary tooth. This is THE tooth. The tooth that has tasted his first drink of milk. The tooth that chewed (and spit out) his very first bite of sweet potatoes. The very first tooth that bit me. The tooth he was born with.

(In case you don't believe me)

Yup, it took these inexperienced, newbie parents a few days to realize what the strange white thing on their newborn's gums really was... When we showed it to the doctor she agreed that it certainly was a tooth, cementing to us incredulous parents that indeed, this beautiful baby was truly the most amazing and unique gift ever witnessed by mankind and that we had surely done the world a huge favor by gifting everyone with the presence of his life. (*insert dramatic eye roll) Hey- give us a break. He was our first. We didn't know any better. 

Fast forward SIX incredibly fast years.. And that very same tooth is now sitting in a sweet little Monster Pillow (that I stayed up way too late sewing the other night because I put it off till the last minute when I finally noticed he had a loose tooth) on our Dining Room Table, somehow NOT in his mouth, while a very excited little boy lay upstairs dreaming of flying fairies and gold coins. (HA! Too bad for him we've gotten real and only have a few tarnished pennies laying around.. Kidding! Kindof..)

I think this is so hard because I feel like this was one of the last shreds of baby-hood I was clinging to. The tiny coming home outfits have long since been washed and packed away. The soft baby curls were cut off years ago.. I've watched him transition from baby rattles to monster trucks, blocks to soccer balls.. And now that tooth that has been with him, literally every single day of his life.. is gone.

And he is beyond excited.

So I will be too. I'm off to put on a brave face, smile, and act beyond surprised when he wakes up in the morning to his "fairy dust" sprinkled pennies.