Toothless Tink

I'm finally going to have to admit my babies aren't really babies anymore.  

Well, one can still be my baby, but the other is definitely a big kid.  

Tink has lost his first tooth.  

I could tell you that he has been excited about his loose tooth, but that is a bit of an understatement.  He has been wiggling the heck out of that thing for a couple of weeks now.  

And the one next to it is getting pretty loose, too.

We are going to have some pretty gap-y Christmas pictures this year.  

Anyway, the losing of the tooth was rather interesting.  

Here is my Facebook post about it:

Yes, assuming your eyes can make out the 

tiny print, you did indeed read that correctly.  

The kid ate his tooth.  

So, I needed to figure out how the Tooth Fairy would handle a missing tooth.  

We decided to put Tink's tooth pillow out, sans tooth, for the Tooth Fairy.  

I asked Tink if he thought the TF would still come if there wasn't a tooth for her to take and he enthusiastically nodded his head while giggling like crazy.  

So, he was off to bed with his tooth pillow next to him.  

This was where the TF (ahem... this girl) decided to get creative.  

Kids don't just get money.  

I mean, they have to do something to earn it, even if that something is just losing a tooth.  Without a tooth, there is no evidence of them having done anything for the cash.  

So I decided the TF needed something more than an empty tooth pillow in order for her to fork over the dough.  

She did make an appearance, but all she left was a note.

Ok, I don't care how great your eyes are.  There is no way you can read that.

Here is what it says:

Avery,

I saw your tooth pillow on the bed.  I checked it for your tooth, but didn’t see one.  I wasn’t sure if you’d meant to leave the tooth in the pocket and forgot or if you’d accidentally left the pillow out, not realizing I would think it meant I was suppose to be visiting.    

I tried to check your mouth to see if there were any baby teeth missing, but you are REALLY heavy.  I couldn’t roll you over to look in your mouth.  I was going to ask your mommy or daddy for help, but they were sleeping, too, and I didn’t want to bother them.  I had money to leave for you but, since I wasn’t sure if you’d actually lost a tooth, I kept it.

Anyway, if you want to leave me a note to let me know if you’ve lost any teeth, that would be great.  I will try to swing back by tomorrow night.  There are a TON of children in Morocco who’ve lost their teeth (November 18 is Morocco’s Independence Day. Who would have known dried apricots could wiggle out so many teeth?!), so I am going to be SUPER busy.  If I don’t make it back tomorrow, I will definitely be back by Tuesday.  

Love,

The Tooth Fairy

Tink woke up in the morning and had Daddy read the note to him.

When I went to his room to ask if the TF came to visit, this was our conversation:

Me: Hey, baby.  Did the Tooth Fairy come last night?

Tink: Yes.

Me: She did?! Awesome! Did she leave you any money?

Tink: Nope.

Me: What?! Why not?

Tink: She weave me a note.

Me: A note? What did it say?

Tink: See twy to woah me ober.

Me: She tried to roll you over?! Why would she do that?

Tink (giggling hysterically): Uh-tuz she want to see my mouf.

Me: Why did she want to see your mouth?

Tink: To see my toof.

Me: Ooooooohhhhh.  She wanted to see if you'd really lost your tooth?

Tink: Yep, but you & Daddy sweeping.

(This is where I feigned some serious confusion.)

Me: Me and Daddy were sleeping? What does that have to do with anything?

Tink: I too heah-bee.

Me: Oh, you were too heavy so she wanted us to help? 

Tink: Yeah.  

Me: So that is it? No money?

Tink: No, she coming back. 

Me: She is coming back?  Can I read the note?

Tink: I ah-weady.

Me: I know you already read the note, but I haven't read it.  Can I read it so I know what her plans are?

Tink: Ok.

I read the note and we talked about his having to write a letter to explain what happened to his tooth.  He decided he wanted to write it before going to school, so he sat down at the kitchen table and got to work.

It took Tink about 10 minutes to write his note.

I helped him to spell "Tooth Fairy" at the beginning, but the rest was all his doing.  

I have to say I am really proud of him and his emerging writing skills.  

Here it is:

I'm sure you are probably wondering what in the heck that says.

Wonder no more:

     Tooth Fairy

     I at my tuf.

     I kan my not giv it to you.

     ewros.

Luv

Avery

     Translation: 

     Tooth Fairy,  

     I ate my tooth.  

     I cannot give it to you.  

     Sorry. 

                       Love, 

                      Avery

And here is a better explanation of why his note looks as it does:

Darn it, he is the cutest.  

This little note sealed the deal.

Anyway, we wrapped the note up like the note 

the TF left for him and put it in his tooth pillow.  

She made an appearance and left him a dollar, but "forgot" the note.  

Evidently she dropped it on her way out.  

Guess that means mommy gets to keep it as a memento!  ;)

I could say Tink was excited about his dollar, but 

that, too, would be an understatement.  

He is THRILLED.  

He is planning to use it to buy himself a t-shirt with Santa on the front.

I'm not sure a dollar is going to cover that purchase, so Mama is likely going to have to fork over some more cash.  

It'll be worth it to see his toothless grin.

Love and Halloween

I was having a bit of a rough day today.  

I'd spent a good amount of time telling The Hubs how I feel a bit 

overwhelmed with life stuff right now.  

I've been trying to deal with a pretty fair amount of 

stress and I felt like I was reaching a breaking point.  

That said, today is Halloween and things were busy with the boys.  

We had multiple school events, parties and whatnot to attend, 

so there was no time for a mopy mommy.  

I made it to Goose's school in time to get him 

dressed and settled before we took part in the Halloween parade.  

Tink had a party in his kindergarten class, was picked up early by MaMaw, and came to Goose's school to participate in the costume parade.  He made it with just enough time to don his costume and be ready to go.  

Here they are, in all of their Monsters, Inc. glory:

And another with Goose giving his best monster "ROAR!!!"

We marched around the building where Goose's school is and collected treats from all of the offices.  The boys seemed to have a really good time.

Mommy, on the other hand, was still working to ignore her stress.

After feeling like I'd said "Please do not run" for the umpteenth time and beginning to sweat through my clothes, I was more than ready to be done.

After the parade, I told Goose I needed to take Tink to his after-school program (for yet another party) and I would be back for him.  

Tink and I took off in an effort to get there before the party started.  

We got there, quickly parked, and hopped out of the car to race inside.  

As we headed for the dor, Tink grabbed my hand, 

pulled me to a stop and said, "Mommy, you is great."

I asked him, "What do you mean I am great?"

He responded with, "You is great for me.  You is great... my great mommy.  You is great for me and Aiden."

I just about melted into the sidewalk.

I couldn't say anything at first because I didn't want to start 

crying and worry him that he'd said something wrong.  

Instead, I scooped him up in a hug, kissed his sweet face, nuzzled his neck, 

and then quietly said, "Oh buddy, I love you so much." 

He put his arms around my neck and just said, "Love you."

In that moment, I knew the other stuff I'd been worrying about didn't matter.

I knew that the most important job I have, the job of making 

my boys feel loved, is something at which I am succeeding.

There is no way Tink had any idea how much I needed that today.

Regardless, he certainly did bless me with a sense of 

love and peace I'd been unable to find on my own.

I am so grateful for my little monsters.

I hope your Halloween was a beautiful as mine.

My Husband Needs Sensitivity Training

So, I just found this post I'd started writing almost exactly a year ago.

I remember beginning to write it on my phone in the car because I didn't want 

to forget the conversation (or lack thereof) The Hubs had with Tink.

Since we are coming up on this year's trip to the pumpkin patch, I thought I'd post this. If for no other reason, it may serve as a reminder to Daddy how NOT to respond to a question about a cemetery.  

Here it is. Enjoy:

Today we went to the pumpkin patch with the boys' school.

On our way there, we passed a really large cemetery.

I would guess at least 90% of the graves had flowers.

Tink pointed out the window and said, "Hey! Who dettin' mah-weed out dey-uh?"

(Translation: Who is getting married out there?)

Daddy's response?

"No one. They are all dead."

*Silence*

WTF, DADDY?!

You totally just told a four-year-old that he is looking 

at a field of dead people. And they 

appear to be invisible dead people at that!

Insert a more appropriate response from Mommy:

"Baby, when people die they go to heaven. But, the people they leave behind on Earth miss them very much.  So, there are places called cemeteries where people can go and leave flowers or presents.  There are spaces for everyone who has died to have those things left for them.  That way the people here on Earth can feel like they still have a connection with them.  They can even talk to the people in heaven, they just can't hear them talking back."

"I wite pow-wus an' peh-sans." 

"I like flowers and presents, too, baby."

Feel free to also insert a death glare for Daddy.

We are probably going to have to have a talk about how we plan to approach the 

subject of death with the boys before we manage to traumatize them.  

And before Tink thinks that every time he sees a bunch of 

flowers there are invisible dead people everywhere...  

[Editor's Note: Since writing this a year ago, Tink has experienced dealing with death many times.  This has happened through both my sister's dog dying, as well multiple animals at his school (Mostly fish.  Those little stinkers don't last very long.). I have to say that he has handled each death very well.  I was a bit nervous about how to approach the first death with him (Joe was the first one to go belly-up. He was the big black fish in the tank in his school's lobby), but there ended up being no conversation to be had.  I broached the subject by saying, "Oh, Mr. Bubbles is the only fish in the tank."  Tink's response: "Yeah, Joe dead.  I hungry.  It breakfast now?"  Obviously, he was neither distraught over the loss of Joe nor was he confused by or wondering about the concept of death.  I guess the combo of Daddy's "Everyone is dead" and my "Heaven is a place and everything will be ok-ish" talk was sufficient.  I hope the birds & bees talk is this manageable...]

Because Boogers and Skunks Are Important Stuff, Right?

Tonight the boys and I were having a conversation about 

boogers on our way home from dinner.

I know.  

Boogers are gross.

At least this conversation wasn't going on DURING dinner...

After some talk about why they have boogers, they both sat quietly, 

contemplating the information I'd just served up about germs and 

how their noses keep the germs from getting inside and 

making them sick, yada, yada, yada.

Well, I'm hoping they were quietly contemplating and not just searching 

for an example of what we'd just talked about.  I mean that is gross.

After sitting in silence for a few minutes, I hear an all-too-familiar noise.  

"Mommy," Goose yells (Yes, yells.  I am sitting less than a foot in 

front of him in the driver's seat, but that is of little importance to him.  

He acts as if the fact that he can't see me means I can't hear him). "I jus' part."

In Goose's world, to "part" is to have flatulence.  

The kid was passing gas in the car and announcing it to Tink and I.  

Lucky. Us.

"Ok, buddy.  Farting is alright if you can't help it.  I mean, doing it outside 

in open air so we don't have to marinate in the fart is preferable, but if you've 

gotta do it, then you've gotta do it.  Let's hit the bathroom and try to poop 

when we get home. Deal?"

"Deal."

(Roughly 10 seconds later)

"Mommy!"

Goose is yelling again.

"Yes, baby?"

"I 'mell someting... I 'mell a 'tunt!"

"Uhhhhh... No, sir.  That isn't a skunk.  It is probably your fart."

"Mommy!  My part 'mell like a 'tunt!"

"Yep, sure does, Goose.  That is what the inside of your butt smells like."

He sits quietly, again, for just a few seconds.

"Mommy?" 

He is talking softly now.  

Well, relatively speaking, anyway.

"Yeah, buddy?"

"I got a 'tunt in my butt?"

"No, baby.  You don't have a skunk in your butt."

"Why?"

"You just don't.  Let's not talk about skunks or butts or farts anymore."  

"Why?" 

"Because Mommy doesn't have any further explanation for why your 

butt smells like it does and I don't feel like trying to explain how I can be sure 

there is not a skunk living in your butt.  I just know there isn't one."

"Why?"

"I don't know.  Let's ask your daddy when he gets home."

Boom.

Silence.

And that is how you put a stop to the 

never-ending "why' questions and end a conversation.

Tell them you know nothing and they must ask the other parent.

Daddy is gonna be REALLY confused when 

Goose asks him about the skunk in his butt...

Welcome to Kindergarten, Tink!

Tink started kindergarten today.

I know.

I'll give you a minute as you work through the 

feelings of disbelief, sadness, and shock.  

I don't know how he got this old, either.

He has looked forward to this day forever.

And by "forever", what I mean is since last summer.  

It wasn't but a day or two after his fourth birthday that he looked at me and said, "Mommy, on my next birthday I am going to be five and then I'm going to kindergarten."

Whoa, kid. 

Slow it down.  

This is happening too fast for Mama as it is.

No need to rush things.

We got up this morning, got dressed, and worked on finishing filling out all the papers he needed to bring back to school for his first day.  

There was one page for Tink to sign where he agreed to do his best each day.

Luckily, The Hubs was on his daddy game and got a picture because 

I was busy filling out the other paperwork.

(Notice, he is a lefty like his mama.  Love.)

Once everything was filled out, his backpack was stuffed with the required change of clothes & paperwork, and we'd collected the insanely large bag of required school supplies, we were ready to head to school.

You know we had to stop for pictures before we went, though.  

Luckily, AJ was willing to come over and be the official photographer this morning so 

The Hubs and I could both get a picture with the big kid, totally focus on him as he started his first day, and not have to worry about taking pictures.  

It was too bad Goose didn't get the memo about standing nicely for photos.

I wish I could explain how hard it is to get that kid to stand still and smile at the camera.  

If he ever does, it is an accident.  

He tries his hardest to avoid doing what we ask him to do.

In fact, it works much nicer to tell him in a very firm voice 

to NOT look at the camera and to most definitely NOT smile.

Reverse psychology.  

Works (almost) every time.

I won't bore you with the details. 

I'll just give you the pictures.  

Eh, one out of three with everyone looking isn't too bad.

We also tried to get pictures of Tink and Goose together. 

I'm considering putting these together as a flipbook.  

I'm sure you can envision this going down. 

I think we were one photo away from Goose 

turning around and decking the kindergartener.

We also tried to get some pictures of the big kid by himself.

Evidently, since he is going to be in the Turtle Class, he 

thought that meant he had to be a turtle for his pictures.

Why can't it just be easy?!

Finally.

We got a normal one.

We had to be sure we got a picture of Sully, too.  :)

It took seemingly FOREVER, but we were finally off to school.

We live about two minutes away, so it didn't take long to get there.

This guy was pretty excited during the short ride.

We made it to school and pulled into the drop-off line.  

Parents aren't allowed to get out with them.

They have a teacher waiting to get them out of the car and then teachers inside to take them to breakfast or the playground or wherever they need to be.

As I am sure you can guess, this mama wasn't going to 

just toss her kid out of the car and take off.  

Yeah, we broke the rules within the first 30 seconds of being at school.

But we needed yet another first day picture.

Tink was set to go.

I tried to hand him that enormous bag of supplies to take in with him, but it 

was so heavy he just kept bouncing it along the sidewalk.  

I asked if I could carry it in for him and 

I got the OK from the teacher working drop-off.

We walked up to the gym door and were greeted by another teacher. 

She looked at Tink and said, "Hi! Are you a turtle?!"

He nodded his head, she grabbed the bag from me, and said to 

him, "Let's go!  I know exactly where your classroom is!"

And they took off across the gym.  

I started to head back to the car.

Then, I realized I didn't get to say goodbye.

  

I quickly turned back and started to holler at him, but they were already 

across the gym and walking through the door to the hallway.

Cue tears from Mama.

He didn't ever look back.

He was SO excited to start his first day.

He was so brave and so big and totally didn't need me.

I am quite obviously having a much harder time with all this than he is. 

And I am so sad that I didn't get to give him hugs...

 and kisses...

 and tell him I love him...

 and to have a great day.

But I am sure he will anyway.

I'm super proud of my big kid.  

I am counting down the minutes until I get to pick him 

up from school and hear all about his day.

And, in Tink's world, that means I will ask what he did today 

and he will most likely answer with, "I not know." 

Guess I am going to have to volunteer in his classroom 

at every opportunity I get just so I know what he does all day.  ;)