And out of nowhere...

We spent this evening at a birthday party for a classmate of Ansley - a sweet little boy turning 6 years old. After an hour of playing it was time for birthday snacks. Ansley bites into a cookie and turns to me with a small frown and says - "My tooth feels funny!" A quick close inspection revealed......a loose tooth! Ansley's first one. She has been checking her teeth every night in the mirror. Hoping and praying that one is loose. And finally - it happens.
Her cheeks flushed and her eyes got really big. She whispers to herself, "My tooth - its loose - it's really loose."
I must admit I was probably as excited as she was. She immediately made her way around the room showing anyone who would listen and look that her tooth was indeed wiggling quite nicely. When we left the party, my cell phone was on her ear and she was calling grandparents and aunts and cousins. "It's loose - It's really loose. I can wiggle it with my tongue."

Stephen meanwhile is sitting listening to the phone conversations. He then says, "Mama, I don't have a loose tooth. They don't wiggle."
"No." I said. "But you will one day."
"But Mama," he says, "My tongue can wiggle - Is is gonna fall out too?"
"No baby, your tongue will not fall out."
"That is good." he says, apparently satisfied that his tongue was not about to fall out of his mouth.

My mom asked me if I had a tooth pillow and I don't. Why have I not thought of this? Why am I not ready? Its not like losing a tooth at age 6 is a surprise...I just am not sure that I was ready for it. Ansley sure was. She is wiggling it as I type this while she watches a movie. My mom tells me she is growing up.....oh, that just keeps happening! Really I don't know how my mom did it. If a loose tooth makes me this crazy inside, what will I do with other milestones?

She was very interested to know how much money the tooth fairy would be bringing when the loose tooth comes out...and honestly, I am not sure what the current exchange rate is for teeth. But the tooth fairy will be ready when it is time...or at least, ready to admit that time is moving faster than she wants. Rainy nights watching movies with my babies, hugs and squeals at the discovery of loose teeth, climbing the ladder of the slide all by themselves...these are the moments I am enjoying right now.