But somehow I have been designated the official Tooth Fairy of the household. I think this "fairy" that comes into my child's bedroom at night does not infringe on my lying comfort level because she has nothing to do with upstaging the true meaning of certain religious holidays.
Waverly came tearing into our bedroom this evening about an hour after we put her to bed: "I LOST MY SECOND TOOTH! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! I JUST WIGGLED IT AND IT POPPED OUT ALL BY ITSELF!" This was a triumph, you see, because Taylor pulled the first one out for her. Her new, big teeth like to grow in behind the baby teeth before they are even loose, and he was trying to hasten the process.
You can't even see where she lost it because the new one had already grown in behind it!
Waverly has taken to corresponding with the Tooth Fairy via letters. The one she left in the envelope with her tooth tonight reads:
Dear Tooth Faiy,
This is m 2ed tooth! What do you do with all of the theeth?
Love, Waverly (with a heart for the "o" in "love" and a little picture of a tooth drawn at the bottom)
I figure if I'm going to perpetuate this lie with my child, I may as well do it with class. Here is the note the Tooth Fairy left for her tonight:
Dear Waverly,
You lost your second tooth already?? I can hardly believe it!
You wanted to know what I do with all of the teeth I collect. I take them to my big, beautiful castle and use them to build the castle walls taller and more beautiful. I wish you could see it. It is gorgeous…all gleaming white with healthy teeth from good children like you (I don’t use rotten brown teeth to build my castle!) I bet you can imagine what my castle looks like - you have such a wonderful imagination, and you are a very talented artist. Maybe you could draw a picture of it.
Congratulations on the new big tooth you’re growing! Take good care of it for the rest of your life…just like you did with your baby teeth. I can’t believe how shiny and white your tooth is. It will look beautiful in my castle wall!
Love,
The Tooth Fairy
18 comments:
There is something to be said for inspiring imagination. I remember growing up in a world where magic could happen. As I transitioned from believer in magic to provider of magic, I saw the magic change. The magic I enjoy now is the ability to suspend disbelief. To take someone, who is intellilgent and logical and enter into an unspoken agreement to amaze and be amazed. I remember believing in magic as a child, not because I thought it was real, but because I was happy when I believed in magic. So I guess you can leave Larry the Surley St. Patrick's Day Leprachuan stories up to me.
I think our world is a little to paired down and real too soon, so kudo's to you for bringing something so imaginative and fun to your child. She will remember this the rest of her life. Save those little letters for her, she'll love it later.
Kids have to much of the truth and reallity without parents having to break it to them. As a parent, I would feel it was part of my job to keep them young and innocent as long as I can, with in reason of course.
Great post! Just a passer-by, hope you don't mind. ;-)
Your letter to Waverly reminds me of the letter Dad wrote to Emma Jo (I think it was her) when she wrote a letter to Santa one year. It's a classic. I'm all for perpetuating magic in childhood. I'm not sure about the surly Leprachuans, though.
Have you seen Tolkien's book of letter's from Father Christmas? Wonderful. Yesterday Sam (8, Hello? He wants to believe for sure) asked if Santa Claus was Mormon. We just said, "No and he's not real but the church is true."
Just kidding. But he did ask that.
Great letter. Sam wrote the tooth fairy a letter asking her if she would leave the money and not take the tooth. I wrote back that I would have to check the Tooth Fairy rule book and then left a note with money the next day saying that it turned out to be OK. He knew it was me, but he loved it.
I have just delightfully discovered your blog. You are my articulate, creative, emotive friend in Oregon and I love you!
Where do Phonemail Anonymous patients graduate to when the technology advances? Can I be treasurer?
I have a Sam, too. He's almost 6. Last Christmas time he asked, "Mom, do you see me when I'm sleeping and know when I'm awake?" On my affirmative reply, he leaped to, "I KNEW IT! I KNEW YOU WERE SANTA CLAUS!"
Hey, how come I never got a letter from the Tooth Fairy? What a lucky kid Waverly is to be able to get a response from the elusive T.F.
Heck yeah I'd buy it...anyone that flatters me that much gets my attention. How much is the going rate for these castle-building teeth in your family? I can't believe that Waves is old enough to be losing her teeth. Where is the little girl I carried, sunrise, sunset, yada yada yada.
Zookeenee, I concur!
Suzie: What a beautiful letter!
The tooth fairy always left me a new tube of toothpast along with my cash! Or floss or something dental.
I love this stage in life with children. It is my favorite. From 4 - 10.
(Notice I am not herolding the teenage years...) Yipes.
I love the tooth castle idea although I don't know that I'd ever be able to really touch the walls. Does the tooth fairy brush the castle teeth every day? Does she still have to floss between the teeth every night? Do they ever turn brown? I am an "adult" still wonderfully willing to be lost in the world of child magic yet also painfully aware of the realities...like would I have to clean the walls made out of teeth? It is a complicated web...
i LOVE it...you are just so creative!!
you know whats weird?... thats what i also figured the tooth fairy was collecting teeth for... was that somthin mo and dad told us as kids or somthin? tell wav congrats on the lost youth-tooth.
I like your style, yes it was the same thing I thought when I was little that the tooth fairy gave me money, lots of money. Thanks for visiting my blog.
The Sniper of Yamhill
I accidentally collected Mema's gold teeth...the ones extracted when they pulled them to fit her for dentures...when I inherited her jewelry box...(shudder) And yes I still have them. Want to see them?
Waverly is a lucky lady.
The tooth fairy has a bad memory around our house! (And I'm even a dental hygienist!) Last time she forgot, my Madison woke up so upset! My quick thinking husband was in the kitchen by the calendar and said, "Oh, remember Wendy, it's the first day of summer and the tooth fairy has that day off!" She bought it! Phew!!
p.s. You're right, "six degrees of blog is fun", let's see, me to Lisa Clark, to Rebecca, to you. . . that's only 4 but still fun!
I love your letter!!
My son Miles (7) was so excited about losing his first tooth that he was carrying it around with him all day and lost it. He was so worried about not getting any money for it he wrote a cute letter to the tooth fairy explaining what happened and ended it with, "if you don't believe me, just go ask my mom!" He's so earnest and really, really wants to believe. He's always coming up with reasons to believe inspite of scientific improbability (which usually has to do with time travel or really fast sleighs, etc).
Topher and I know a couple who "don't lie" to their kids about Santa and the Tooth Fairy, and their kids are really boring.
"Anonymous" - reveal yourself! Bennett? Emily? Who?
Carrie Ann, heck ya - I want to see Mema's gold teeth (and then go hock 'em and go out to dinner ...and dessert with the money).
wendysue - It is actually you to Lisa Clark , to Rebecca, (and from here it gets freaky because it turns out she knows my entire inlaw family PLUS my sister Carrie Ann on her mission...crazy, huh? We just figured all of this out.) to Carrie Ann, to me. So, that's like a kajillion degrees of septaration or something.
Lisa v. clark - do you have sons named Miles, Hugh and Owen? (I've been stalking you.) All of those names were on my "short list" when we named our last boy. You have superb taste. I couldn't use "Miles" for obvious reasons (our last name is Giles) but I still want to use it! Anyone named Miles Giles is bound to be famous!
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