I was helping the sweet girl brush her lower teeth tonight when I noticed again that the gap between her left lower front tooth and the tooth next to it seemed wider than usual. That had come to my attention yesterday, but I figured I was tired enough to think I was imagining things. Tonight it really grabbed my attention so I gently poked my finger in her mouth, suddenly alarmed because it looked as though one of her teeth was slightly misplaced, pushing into the tooth next to it.
She's been so incredibly active lately, with a major burst of physical energy and a sudden desire to run and climb all over everything. I wondered, could she maybe have bumped her tooth hard enough to push it closer to the one next to it? But I don't think so. I think my little girl just has a plain old loose tooth. Her first.
Is this early? She's still 2 and 1/2 months from her sixth birthday, and I can't remember when I lost my first tooth, though I think I was probably around six. (I recall it came out when I bit down on a twinkie!)
Ironically, we'd just been talking about loose teeth a couple of days ago. We were reading the second chapter of Betsy-Tacy (yes, we're reading it again...S. doesn't remember it very well from last summer) and a little boy named Tom was described as speaking with a lisp because of a missing tooth. The sweet girl wanted to know what a lisp was, and we had an interesting discussion. Good timing apparently!
But may I confess something? I'm just not feeling quite ready for this. It's not the wiggly little tooth itself, but the milestone aspect of it. She's my one and only kiddo, and it seems like just yesterday she was cutting teeth, and we were proudly counting up how many teeth she had.
I love having an almost six year old, I really do. But tonight (already struggling as I am with some discouragement and sadness over some completely unrelated things) just for a little while, I need to let myself be sad that baby days in our household are truly over.
6 comments:
I don't remember the age of the first loose tooth either--that was a long time ago for us.
Mmmm, the baby days. I do remember enjoying them, but I remembered that my mother always said that her favorite age was whatever age I was. Which made me feel good to hear her say it, and was a reminder when we had our own daughters to do the same. Each age is so special, full of unimaginable delights and challenges--and I truly enjoyed them all. I'm sure you will as well.
Pat
Totally understandable. They grow so fast! But you really have savored all of those "baby days," so while they've gone by quickly, you've stored up a whole lot of wonderful memories. And six and beyond will bring a lot more! Good luck with the loose tooth!
Are you carrying a poem in your pockt today? I decided to Sam's troll poem, in honor of my Tolkien-loving uncle's visit. Happy Poem In Your Pocket Day!
Pat, thanks for this lovely and thoughtful comment. I agree with your mom (and you as well!) that every age is a wonder and delight. But just last night I couldn't help but feel a little bit sad at how quickly time is passing. Just having a hard week, I guess.
So far I've been amazed at what gifts each new year brings as we parent our daughter. I know that will continue to be true!
Thanks, Erin. You're right...I have savored those "baby days"...maybe even more than I would have, knowing that they might be the only ones. I was feeling grateful the other day for all the early reviews I wrote on epinions -- reviews of S's little board books and bedtime stories. For some reason, I was revisiting one of them and I loved re-reading it, because it brought back so many memories. Makes me realize I really need to keep all those reviews personally backed up somewhere (I composed a lot of them straight in eps back then).
I do plan to carry a poem in my pocket, once I change out of my pajama bottoms. :-) Getting a slow start today, hee. Still not sure what I'm carrying, but I think it will be something spring-ish. Maybe Frost (who wrote such wonderful spring poems, despite his wintery name!).
Ah, the first tooth. Yes, a great milestone. But for me, it's been the milestones I didn't expect that stick with me.
The time my son got out of bed in the morning and instead of coming in to wake us up, went in to his sister's room to play with her and left us alone.
The time my son announced that he thought he was getting a GameBoy for Christmas because he'd read it on the list posted on the bulletin board (it never occurred to us that he'd be able to read it!)...
The first time my daughter told *me* what to wear.
The first ride in the front seat of the car.
The first time my kids could answer a question on "Jeopardy" that I couldn't answer.
The moment I looked at my son and realized I was looking up instead of down... because he was now taller than me (I informed him that meant he has to dance with me)....
Can the last loose tooth be far away?....
Enjoy the time, Beth! It'll only go faster!
Janet, what a wonderful list of "unconventional" milestones! And I know what you mean. Those are the ones that tend to wing me too, although we haven't had nearly as many of them as you have yet. :-)
I really am trying to relax and let go (wheee!!!) on this parenting ride...meaning, value and enjoy the time, and remember I'm navigating by the light of God! I sometimes liken parenting to the journey of the Celtic monks who set out in little boats on a big ocean, not entirely sure where they were going, but certain that God was with them with they left and would be where-ever they arrived. Along the way, of course, they encountered lots of "thin places..." those places where earth and heaven seemed astonishingly close. Yep. Sounds like life to me these days!
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