These two top teeth have been a pain (literally). My son has not brushed those two teeth in what seems like ages and hasn’t bitten down on anything since Christmas for fear they will come out. It’s amusing to watch him bite out of the side of his mouth, but at the same time, I just want to pull the damthings out already.
This week, our 3-year-old had had enough. For weeks, he’s been listening to my husband and I tell the 6-year-old what to do in order to get the teeth to fall out. “Wiggle your tooth” “Eat this apple” and “Let me see your tooth” have been passed around the dinner table more than hot buttered rolls.
And we like our rolls.
On Monday morning, the 6-year-old came downstairs, crying. Naturally, when a mother sees her child crying, the first questions are, “What’s wrong? Do we need to go to the hospital? Or beat someone up for hurting you?”
Me: What’s wrong? Do we need to go to the hospital? (see?)
6-year-old: My tooth came out.
(I can hear the distinct sounds of “the Hallelujah Chorus” in the background)
Me: Yay! Are you okay? How did it happen?
6-year-old: I’m bleeding! (3-year-old) kicked me in the face and my tooth came out!
Me: Oh. Well, um. That wasn’t nice of (3-year-old). Let me see.
Okay, I probably should’ve been madder at the 3-year-old, but… well, he helped us. Until that morning, that loose tooth had been hidden behind the second loose tooth. My 6-year-old looked like an 80-year-old homeless man. If the 3-year-old hadn’t kicked him, I might’ve had to do it myself and it looks worse coming from a parent.
Anyway, on Monday, we celebrated. I put the tooth away for safekeeping and then, of course, lost said tooth by the end of the day. Somehow, the amazing Tooth Fairy knew he had lost the tooth and he received whatever dollar bills she had stuffed in her sock drawer.
Way to go, Tooth Fairy!
Over the week, I have been begging the 6-year-old to wiggle his second tooth and take a bite of something and
I was at work today when I got a text from our babysitter that the tooth finally fell out.
(Again, I hear trumpets.)
Me: How did it happen?
Her (me paraphrasing): (3-year-old) pushed on the tooth and it fell out.
Me: He what?!
Her: (3-year-old) wanted to feel (6-year-old’s) loose tooth, so when (6-year-old) let him, he pushed it out.
My 3-year-old, God bless him. I can picture him concocting this grand scheme to get the teeth out. He was tired of listening to us go on and on about the teeth and decided if his big brother was going to be such a wimp about it, he’d take care of it himself. He had been hoping the first kick to the teeth would’ve knocked them both out. Since they didn’t, he had to devise another plan. But not kick him again, of course. That would’ve been too obvious. So, what did he do?
3-year-old: “C’mere, kid. Let me see your tooth.”
Baaah! How did that work for him? I tried that weeks ago and my 6-year-old wouldn’t budge. I guess you have to look cute and innocent for it to work.
I can see it now. When my 3-year-old is a father, he’s going to be one of those dads who ties his kid’s tooth to a doorknob. “C’mere, kid. Lemme see that tooth.” Yank.
Thanks, (3-year-old). Problem solved.
