Chick's wiggly, jiggly tooth finally came out. It happened without fanfare, without blood, without even the tiniest little "ouch." It just sort of slid out of her mouth, kerplink, into her hands. She wandered into the kitchen and handed me the tooth, and then she was ready for something else, something other than a wobbly nuisance in her mouth. Of course, she wanted to be sure I tucked it safely away, so she can stow it under her pillow this evening, but she was, otherwise, ready to move on.
Meanwhile, in first-child-to-lose-a-tooth land, things were a bit more buzzy. A band leader baton was bought, photographs were taken, and people were called. And, I made her a tooth pillow last night out of some fabric scraps I had stashed away in my studio.
Materials: two 6" inch squares of coordinating fabric and one 2" inch square of the same coordinating fabric.
How To:
1. Hem one side of the little 2" square
2. Press the other three sides of the 2" square under and then pin and sew it onto one of the 6" squares.
3. Pin the two 6" inch squares together (right sides together).
4. Sew it up, leaving a 1" inch gap
5. Turn inside out, poke out corners, and stuff with fluff.
6. Hand sew the 1" gap closed with a hidden stitch.
"Thirty nine more teeth to go between the two kids" Tom reminded me today. And, I pointed out that he was the one who went store to store searching for a baton. I'm excited for Leah to sleep on a baton for most of the night tonight, but next time, it's got to be a bunch of stickers or a lollipop. Tooth fairy gifts are supposed to feel magical, but also tiny and small. Fairies are tiny and small, right?
Now, I get to stare at the goofy space in her mouth remembering how hard it was when that little tooth pushed through her tender baby gums. I remember feeling floored that my milky mouthed baby had TEETH! Real, honest to goodness teeth! And, now I am reminded that something so seemingly permanent really isn't.
Anna Maria Horner's post today is heartbreaking and hauntingly beautiful. I am nowhere near sending my kids to college, but her words reminded me that now is what it is all about. Tomorrow is tomorrow.
xo e
