Tooth Fairy Learning Curve...

Ashton, I hope that by the time you can read this, if you ever do, the truth doesn't stun you about your parents lack of basic parenting skills or the fact there is no Tooth Fairy.

Last week Ashton lost his 1st tooth. Bottom right. As exciting as that was for us all, the real story here is the faulty tooth fairy.

Ashton was so excited about thoughts of a winged being putting some cash behind his pillow he couldn't fall asleep. As we waited for a safe time to enter his room and swap tooth for money, Paul drifted off to dreamland. Around 11pm I was able to slip in, take the tooth and place $5 under his pillow. Apparently, at some point in the night, Ashton tossed and turned knocking the money off his bed.

Then, around Paul's normal time to go to work, 3am-ish, unaware I'd already played Tooth Fairy, he entered Ashton's room. According to Paul he spent a fair amount of time rooting around Ashton's room looking for the tooth and not seeing the missing money I'd already placed there. During this time Ashton apparently partially woke up, so Paul stashed the cash and went to work.

How did I know about what happened with Paul/Ashton? The next morning Ashton comes racing down the stairs to proudly show me his $5 and tell me he saw the Tooth Fairy. "Mommy" he says "I saw the Tooth Fairy last night...well at least half of it. There were no wings, only grey and white striped shorts like Daddy's. I think Daddy is the Tooth Fairy." I was quickly tried to cover the snafu by telling a white lie around Daddy coming to check on him to make sure he was asleep. I then VERY quickly threw out the suggestion of immediately going to pick out a new toy for his Tooth Fairy money to be spent on. I shamlessly admit this was to continue distracting him and hope my son still holds on to what little bit of his childhood essence his too mature self possesses.

By the way, he already has a 2nd loose tooth!

Also, side note, Ashton was able to get the $20 suitcase to hold his Hot Wheel cars as a result of a combination of this mix up and his kindness. With only $5, he asked if he could get the $20 toy he'd been eyeing. When asked where his piggy bank money was to cover the spread, he told me it was empty. "Empty?" I said raising an eyebrow and picturing candy or stickers he most likely blew it on. "Yes Mommy, I gave all my money to kids with lukemia" (fundraiser at his school) he replied quietly. "Well" I told him, "maybe I could help with the difference, just this once." And of course Kate got the purple baby doll and stroller she'd been eyeing. (Teeth are one costly body part.)