Bubble Gum, Snickers, and Baskin Robbins

"Mom, Dad! Look--I have another loose tooth!"

An exclamation made earlier this week during dinner by Mr. J (8) Two out of our four children are regularly either wiggling newly loose teeth, sporting open gaps, or growing in their adult teeth. They have embraced the mythology and lore of the tooth fairy and have decided the best way for them to make some quick change is to lose a tooth!

In fact, a week or two ago, Mr. N (5) said "I wish I could lose ALL OF MY TEETH right NOW so I could get so much gold coins!"

He was so serious about it, too--it was hilarious.

I suppose I got into the excitement of losing teeth and gaining something from the tooth fairy--but that surely was NOT the case for my very first loose tooth.

The experience is one of my core childhood memories--I can remember so many details about it, it is fascinating to recall.

I was five years old, and we were at my maternal grandparents' home in Columbia, Tennessee. My tooth was pretty loose but I wanted to ignore it--the imagined pain was just too much for me. My Mom was not squeamish at ALL about it. In fact, she tried every thing she could to get me to let her snap it out. I remember her trying (so patiently!) to convince me; I was laying on my grandmother's tall bed and I just could not imagine that saying yes would yield anything positive for me.


So I never pulled that baby tooth* and still have it today.










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JUST KIDDING.

But really, that's how stubborn I was feeling.

In the end, there were some guys (teenagers? young adults?) who were at my grandfathers farm that day doing some work for him. They must have heard the ruckus and felt obliged to lend a helping hand. They each offered me something...if I would pull my teeth.

One offered bubble gum (tempting, it was not something we had on a regular basis).

Another offered any candy bar of my choice (Snickers, please?)

And then I was offered Baskin Robbins ice cream ...and a few dollars to seal the deal.

I couldn't believe it--bubble gum, ice cream, AND a candy bar!! AND some dollar bills!?

My Mom quickly snapped that little pearl in a second and I was convinced that I had won the tooth pulling lottery.

And those guys were the best "tooth fairy" ever.





*Strangely enough, I actually DO have two baby teeth in my set of chompers. Apparently, if you don't have an adult tooth underneath/above--then it won't ever get loose, but you'll have it indefinitely. Such is the case with my two bottom baby teeth (congenitally missing teeth is an inherited trait). It's one of my several dental quirks.


11.18.16

Every day in November!  NaBloPoMo: National Blog Posting Month. Write a post on your blog every day in November. After a really massive break in my blogging, this will be the 4th year (not in a row, clearly), I've decided to tackle this challenge & enjoy the opportunity to switch to writing mode. I  have actually been looking forward to this for awhile--because I really do enjoy writing and don't make time to do it enough! Want to join me? Leave your blog link in the comments so I can follow you too! Or not. Does anyone follow blogs anymore?