SIX!

That is the number of teeth our Miss E has lost to date.

She came flying in the door today after school very excited that she had finally lost the tooth that has been wiggly for the last several weeks. I asked her if she still had the tooth and she proudly showed me a little tooth box, like a treasure chest where she had carefully kept her tooth all day long at school.

I say carefully because she lost her very first tooth, literally. She was at school in kindergarten when it happened. She was so excited that her first tooth had come out that she had to show everyone there. She was showing it to a classmate while they were on the playground and she dropped the tooth. She searched and searched for that tooth, but it was never to be found again. Her teacher helped her write a letter to the tooth fairy explaining the situation. The tooth fairy was very understanding and was quite touched by such a heartfelt letter. No problem.

After school today Miss E, talking a mile a minute, told me that Mrs. M helped her pull out her tooth. Mrs. M is the teacher next door to my daughter's classroom. Apparently she has a knack for such things and has helped many other first graders with dangling teeth. I think she could have a side job in the dangly tooth business if she wanted.  Thank you Mrs. M. We appreciate the assist! After the tooth came out, Miss E was sent to the nurse's office who is known to give stickers and a treasure chest for lost teeth.

The last time she lost her tooth she asked me point blank if I was the tooth fairy. I could not lie to her. I told her the truth. It was innocence lost. So sad. Tonight as she wrote a letter to the Tooth Fairy she asked my husband again about the existence of the tooth fairy. Some kids were talking at school, "so I know the truth Dad".  Did she not remember our conversation from six months ago?  Of course she knew the truth. She still writes a letter though. And she still tucks her tooth under her pillow. As long as you believe....

Imagine my delight and surprise when my husband told me about her letter to the Tooth Fairy.  She asked if she could please have 59 cents for her tooth so she could buy mom a bufay (her spelling, not mine, big grin!) breakfast on Mother's Day.

Apparently, she's saving up to buy me brunch for Mother's Day at a nearby hotel. 59 cents is all she has left to save.  Sob, gulp.  Oh, how I love this girl!