Outing the Tooth Fairy

Aaron has had a loose tooth for a very long time. It has been so long, I don't even remember exactly how long. I know when he had his six month cleaning this past summer, it was already loose and had been for a while. We asked the dentist about it and he said it should come out soon. I almost called the dentist's office last week to see how long we should wait, but last week was early release which throws all of our schedules off, so I put it off until this week. Aaron woke up yesterday morning and said it was so loose he was sure it would fall out any second, so I didn't call the dentist.

He came home from school yesterday and was having his snack. He said the tooth hurt and he just wanted it out. I know the baby teeth get to a point where they are so loose and what hurts is the point of the root poking the gums. If I can get a good grip with a napkin and give it a twist and a yank at the same time, the tooth usually falls right out. By this point the tooth is so loose, it doesn't hurt to pull it out.

At first Aaron didn't want me to pull it out. However, one of his dreams right now is to be become a Navy Seal when he grows up. He is only nine and I know this will probably change a dozen times before he chooses a career field, but we are milking this one for all it is worth. For example, here is a conversation and Aaron and I had a dinner last week.

Me: Aaron, I want you to take at least one bite of asparagus. You just have to try it.

Aaron: (Makes a twisted gagging face just thinking about it.)

Me: When you are a Navy Seal you may have to eat really nasty things like on Man Versus Wild (a survival show). Eating your asparagus is great training.

So he ate the asparagus. He didn't like it, but he ate it.

Last night the conversation went like this.

Aaron: My tooth is so loose. It really hurts.

Me: Do you want me to pull it out?

Aaron: No! It will hurt.

Me: No. It is so loose it won't hurt at all.

Aaron: Yes. It will.

Me: When you are a Navy Seal you may have to go through really painful situations and show lots of bravery and courage. Letting me pull your tooth would be great training.

He let me pull his tooth and it didn't even hurt. I left in in the napkin I used to pull it with and placed it on the kitchen island.

When we got home from church last night, Aaron remembered to get the tooth to put under his pillow for the Tooth Fairy. It was no where to be found. Of course, the one time I want the other people in this house to not pick up something they see and throw it away, it is gone. I told him to write a note to the Tooth Fairy and stick it under his pillow. He is certain this will not work and continues to search for the missing tooth. I start to fabricate some lie to convince him that the Tooth Fairy will indeed accept the note, but I looked at PK and I think we could tell by the look on the others face that it was time to out the Tooth Fairy...and Santa, and the Easter Bunny and the Leprechauns. I just looked at PK and said, "Do it out of ear shot of Hannah."

I know Aaron is nine and probably should have been told a long time ago, but I really wanted to do one more Christmas. PK took him down to the playroom and told him the truth. He said Aaron was a bit disappointed, but he snapped back quickly. He was really surprised about the Leprechaun's.

Each year the kids build a Leprechaun trap for St. Patrick's Day. If they don't catch a Leprechaun, the Leprechaun leaves them a little treat. You can read the post from last year here . As you will see, the kids didn't catch a Leprechaun, but as the Leprechauns do every year they turned our milk green, turned our toilet water green and left us some Leprechaun Dust. Last year they even drew on my face while I was asleep. When PK was explaining to Aaron that the Leprechaun traditions were just for fun, Aaron asked, "Then how did Mommy get those drawings on her face and where did the Leprechaun Dust come from?" PK assured him it was all me and it was just so the kids could have fun.

I made sure PK covered all the bases (Did you tell him about Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Leprechauns, too? Did you tell him NOT to tell Hannah? Did you tell him God is real and we will NOT be coming to tell him otherwise?). Then Aaron came into my room with an index card. He had written on it that he couldn't find the tooth he had lost and taped on a small white Lego in its place. He told me he hoped the Tooth Fairy left him a Lego guy instead of money and gave me a huge grin. I found little Lego packages in the Halloween treats at Target that include three pieces to create a Lego guy. I picked up a couple to put in his stocking. PK was totally shocked when I pulled one of those from my stash. I told him that is what good planning ahead does for a person.

The Dog That cold do inything by Hannah

The Dog That cold do inything by Hannah

(The Dog That Could Do Anything by Hannah)

Cary was a dog. A vary small dog. Not so tall at all.

(Cary was a dog. A very small dog. Not so tall at all.)

Cary new that he culd do inything.

(Cary new that he could do anything.)

Intill a bolly dog came then he new he colud do inything.

(Until a bully dog came. The he knew he could do anything.)

Cary howeld and more and more dogs came.

(Cary howled and more and more dogs came.)

Then someone thot that he shod resel.

(Then someone thought that he should wrestle.)

So the dog barkd yes

(So the dog barked, "Yes.")

The End

Giving to the Lord OR The Pride Before Our Fall

Yesterday after church, I went to get Aaron and Hannah from their children's church class. There are a few ladies who rotate teaching the class. The lady who was there yesterday met me at the door and asked if we were planning to attend next week. Actually we weren't. The church is semi-new to me and the kids and next week is a large yearly event which makes me feel a bit overwhelmed being the new kid and there is something that the family needs to take care of on one of the next two weekends, so I thought we would skip out next week.

Children's church at our church is lots of fun and games, but it is structured somewhat like the adult service. There is a part for a lesson and an activity to reinforce the lesson. The teacher asked if one of the students would like to teach the lesson next week and Aaron volunteered.

Aaron is really becoming much more assertive and self confident. The fact that he volunteered amazed me. He has to come up with his own scripture and lesson he wants to present. Since he has volunteered, I think we will reschedule our family event and I will just have to grab the kids and make a mad dash out the door before the big church event. We are gradually easing into things. We all attend the dinner and Bible study on Wednesday nights. I attended the monthly women's fellowship this past weekend and I think I am going to attend the women's Bible study this Wednesday morning. The Sunday special event will be too overwhelming. Baby steps, people.

If you know Aaron, you already know he is a pretty compassionate little guy and a deep thinker. A couple weeks ago, he mentioned he needed offering for children's church. I told him I would give him some, but he said he wanted to take it out of his allowance. Perfect. As he should. He told me he didn't want anyone to think he loves Legos (which is what is always saving his money for these days) more than God. Awwww. He gets it. (This could have been a pride comes before the fall moment).

Then later Sunday afternoon Aaron and I had the following brief conversation:

Aaron: Hannah and I are having a church service for the stuffed animals.

Me: Oh. That's nice. (Of course I am thinking what great parents we are that our kids would want to play church with their stuffed animals. This could have been another pride comes before the fall moment.)

Aaron: Yes. And any money we collect during the offering is going to go toward a family trip to Disney World. (This could have been the fall.)

Me: Oh. (Now thinking that our instruction in giving and blessing others has failed somewhere along the line.)

The Birthday Sleepover

The pizza and the peeps and the big sister who was the designated "helper"

The craft

The craft at the other end of the table

The presents

The cards and the peeps

The cupcake cake made of cupcakes

The candles and the singing

The silliness of first graders on extreme sugar

The fun and evidence of sugar and more sugar

The brother and his peep who only appeared for food

Animal Instincts

Hannah and I were sitting in the living room before school this morning and had the following conversation

Hannah: Mommy, if you sit totally still and just move your eyes, you can hear a noise.

Me: (After sitting perfectly still and moving my eyes to hear the noise.) I don't hear anything. What kind of noise is it? (Thinking maybe she hears the clock.)

Hannah: I can't describe it. Little ears can hear noises big ears can't.

Me: Oh, like animals. (Knowing this is where she is coming from.)

Hannah: I think I have animal abilities. The other day when daddy came home I was on the ground sniffing and I picked up his scent.

Me: (Complete silence and large gulps of my coffee to keep from laughing.)