Although I was prepared to tell Connor about the Tooth Fairy, I never did. I just couldn't take the sadness. And that turned out to be a good choice, because a few months later, Connor pulled a tooth out, handed it to Ed, and then it was lost. Or so everyone thought.
Connor wrote a note to the Tooth Fairy asking for assistance, and you know what? Four days later the Tooth Fairy's helper found that baby tooth in the bottom of the washing machine. Sometimes it take a little while for the magic to happen, but it always happens.
After returning the tooth to its owner, Connor left it out for the Tooth Fairy and was greeted with the usual note, gem, and $1. Little did I know, I was setting the Tooth Fairy up for a very tall task.
Yesterday, Helen came home from school and announced she had lost her tooth, and then announced that really, she had LOST her tooth. It fell out of the tooth shaped necklace gifted to her by the nurse. Her friend Sara helped her look for it in the mulch on the playground outside of her classroom, but to no avail.
In the evening, Helen asked if we could ride bikes, and we rode them up to her school just to take one more look around. Still, no luck.
By bedtime, it was sinking in that her tooth might really be gone. But Helen remembered Connor's good fortune, so while I was downstairs picking up a few toys, Helen got out a piece of paper and asked the Tooth Fairy for help finding the tooth. Helen pointed out to me that she was trying to be very polite and careful, and had refrained from writing Mrs. Tooth Fairy or Mr. Tooth Fairy, for fear of accidentally insulting the Tooth Fairy.
Helen asserted her confidence that the Tooth Fairy was real because she just knows there would be NO WAY for me to sneak upstairs, get the tooth from beneath her pillow, snatch the tooth and replace it with goodies, and exit the room without her noticing.
Last night, she opted to sleep as far away from the note as possible, so as not to risk accidentally crushing the Tooth Fairy by rolling over on her or him, just in case her tooth was returned.
I do not know why, but I have saved all of my children's teeth. This came in very handy last night. The Tooth Fairy returned a tooth to Helen, described where she found it (which was a bit away from where Helen had directed me to look) and asked Helen to please confirm if it was hers. That way, on the off-chance that the torrential downpour we experienced last night did not totally wash the real missing tooth away - or if it turns up in a desk or locker in the near future - Helen will know the Tooth Fairy made a mistake, not that the Tooth Fairy intentionally tried to trick her!
This morning, Helen confirmed that indeed, this was the exact tooth she lost. Tonight, Helen plans to leave the tooth for the Fairy.
Elaine
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
St. Patrick's Day 2015
That ol' leprechaun got us again. In the process of trying to find the darn thing, we also learned our toilet leaks - enough to turn water that was green when Ed went to bed to clear when Connor and Helen checked for miscreants the next morning. I fixed it, at least temporarily, a task I'm exceedingly proud of. (Hat tip to my friend Jenny for the advice! And if you know Jenny, you also know she is the least likely person to be able to deliver advice about a home repair, which makes it double awesome that her trick has worked.)
Ed thought the clues were trickier this year than in years past, but neither Helen nor Connor had much trouble deciphering them. When Helen did get a little stymied, Connor actually talked her through the clue with a hint in order for her to be able to solve it on her own. This is in stark contrast to years past when Connor wouldn't give Helen that chance, and would instead gloat about being first.
Connor was delighted to not have to shovel his way to one of the clues, as he had done last year.
And both were thrilled with the loot they found at the end.
Happy Late St. Patrick's Day! Maybe next year the kids will catch that darn leprechaun.
Elaine
Ed thought the clues were trickier this year than in years past, but neither Helen nor Connor had much trouble deciphering them. When Helen did get a little stymied, Connor actually talked her through the clue with a hint in order for her to be able to solve it on her own. This is in stark contrast to years past when Connor wouldn't give Helen that chance, and would instead gloat about being first.
Connor was delighted to not have to shovel his way to one of the clues, as he had done last year.
And both were thrilled with the loot they found at the end.
Happy Late St. Patrick's Day! Maybe next year the kids will catch that darn leprechaun.
Elaine