Tooth Fairy Crisis

You'd think I'd have this - the toothy fairy thing -- all figured out. Afterall, my daughter has been desperately trying to lose a tooth for the entire last year. And, maybe, just maybe, I would have stepped up the planning when her bottom tooth got REALLY wiggly a week ago. Not even the hourly, "See how loose it is Mama" reminders seemed to kick me into gear.

But, when the tooth came out at 5 p.m. tonight and she proudly displayed it in her hand, panic set in.

I know there is a protocol for this. I'm certain. I just don't know what it is. Shoot, I wondered -- what does the tooth fairy do these days? In my day, the tooth fairy left a quarter. Seemed reasonable, though somehow it seems inflation must have changed this. But, what if the other kids in the 'hood have a fairy that does something different...maybe everybody here is on the same page...and the mystique of the tooth fairy could be blown by me. Ugh. Such pressure.We'll just have to chart our own course on this, I guess.

My daughter and I had sewed a little pouch in anticipation of losing a tooth and, it turns out, she had been keeping close tabs on it so she actually handed it to me and said, "what do we do with this?".  I said, "oh, right, well, you'll put your tooth in that pouch and put it under your pillow." "BUT, MAMA....we were supposed to make a tooth on it so the tooth fairy knows what it is!". I tried to dissuade her of this idea, but the long -- the very long - face made me desperately unpack all the carefully packed up boxes (in the process of a move here) in search of a felting needle and wool...or something. I found some embroidery thread and needle and set to work stitching a tooth on the outside of the pouch. (Okay, CLEARLY, I need some serious work on my embroidery skills...). The proud little (toothless) smile my little one flashed made me realize that the mad dash was worth it.

Cute little pouch with cute little tooth from my cute little girl placed under pillow in great anticipation of the tooth fairy.

Phew. Crisis overted.

Um, well, until, it turns out, we (my husband and I) realized we didn't know (read: weren't on the same page) what the tooth fairy would leave behind.

After discussion (one must discuss these things, of course), we agreed upon (and implemented) our plan.

Let's just hope we have been consistent enough to pass the laugh test. :)

Now, onto more important things like watching my little girl figure out her new smile, how to eat with a missing tooth and the like.

What does the tooth fairy do at your house?