We Believe: The Tooth Fairy

Madeline has been eagerly anticipating her first visit from the Tooth Fairy. When she got her annual check up at the dentist over the summer, she had four wiggly teeth, so it looked like it would be soon.

A few weeks ago, her brother sneezed and his tooth fell out.

And then he was eating a sandwich at school and another tooth fell out.

And then during dinner, a third tooth fell out.

All within a 24 hour period.

And all while Madeline was still wiggling, wiggling, wiggling her loose teeth and hoping, hoping, hoping that it was her turn next.

Last week, we made a quick trip to the dentist because her bottom front teeth and gums were super sore, to the point that they were keeping her up at night.

The new teeth, a pair of them, were actually already growing in fast and furious behind the baby teeth that needed to come out.

“Yup, those teeth have to come out,” the dentist said.

“Can you take them out for her?” I asked.

“No, it’s better if she does it herself.”

And so we waited. And took Motrin.

And waited some more.

Tuesday afternoon, as soon as she got off the bus, she came sprinting towards me.

“Guess what! Guess what! I lost my tooth!”

She was beyond excited. Like Christmas morning excited.

She had waited so long for this.

In terms of a five year old’s perception of long.

“That’s awesome! Where is it? Let me see!” I said, looking for the obligatory tooth-shaped necklace that kids wear proudly around their neck when they lose a tooth at school.

“I swallowed it.”

I felt so bad for her, because she thought this meant that the Tooth Fairy wouldn’t come. Apparently, she went to show a classmate how she could spin the tooth around in circles (mostly because I had asked her to stop doing it in front of me, because it completely grosses me out), and that’s when she noticed it wasn’t there anymore.

I told her that sometimes this happens, and we would write a note to the Tooth Fairy and explain the situation. She wouldn’t let me help with the note, and got frustrated when we miscommunicated about which letters I had said and not said when I was spelling out her dictation, but we got it done.

She left it on her dresser.

And, unfortunately, as the Tooth Fairy sometimes has a busy night, she didn’t come that first night. I encouraged Madeline to leave the note downstairs and said that I would call and remind her that Madeline was waiting.

And then the next night she came. Five dollars for the first tooth, and a dollar for every tooth after.

Madeline read the note over and over again. She wanted to know how the Tooth Fairy knew her name. How she held a pen. How she got into our house. And where she got stickers.

And, for now, believed in magic.