"Oh Snap!"

Warning! There are bloody mouth pictures in this post.

Belle is almost 7 years old. She has been dieing to lose her teeth. I would ask why and her response "so I can get some money from the Tooth Fairy!!" An entrepreneur, perhaps? She also complains that Grace, who is only 5 has already lost teeth and she hasn't. Good heavens!

Now, let's go back to January 8th, when I got a text from Belle's step mom saying "Belle has a loose tooth! Finally!!" I could hardly wait to see and wiggle this loose tooth. Finally, Belle will get some money from the tooth fairy and stop feeling like a baby who hasn't lost any teeth. A few days later when Belle came home, I conveniently and not intentionally, took this picture of her sweet mouth with all her teeth. I suggest to all parents to do this, intentionally, because once one tooth comes out, their teeth, mouths, and faces will not be the same.

I passed the word on to my mom and she immediately made Belle a tooth bear. This bear will guard the tooth while under her pillow and then hold the said 'money' the Tooth Fairy will pay for the tooth. Very cute and handy.

Tren and I did our fair share of wiggling on the loose tooth. You cannot see it in these pictures, but her bottom two teeth are growing in BEHIND the baby teeth. Not under, like teeth generally do. This is causing her teeth to be pushed forward instead of up. Thus, she had 2 loose teeth at once. Very exciting! She wanted this tooth out so badly, she bravely let Tren wiggle and gently pull with pliers. At this point, I am freaking out. I'm pregnant so I'm emotional enough, on top of that, my child has her first loose teeth and we are crossing a huge milestone. And then yet even further, she is so determined to get the thing out she's letting pliers be put to it! I had to leave the room several times to get a grip.

The pliers were a bit much for Belle, so she let him tie floss around it to try and yank it out. No luck there either. Nearly ever night, Tren would wiggle and pull on the teeth. One night, Belle got an incredibly long string of floss and had Tren tie one end to the tooth and then hold the other. She didn't want to slam it in the door. She just wanted to "run away" from Tren. Really? So off she goes and nothing.

Now let's move forward to February 8th. I pull into Shem's house to pick Belle up after school/work and she is waiting for me on the curb with THE BIGGEST GRIN on her face. As I get closer, I can see why. She had lost her tooth!!

I tear up a bit (crazy, I know) and she gets in the car and I want to know the story and where the tooth is? She told me she was sitting in class and started crying because she was afraid to pull it out. Miss Keeney said to her "what the heck is wrong with you?" and she twisted it and it came out. Miss Keeney gave her a little plastic tooth necklace to keep the tooth in. I am honestly surprised that tooth made it home and into the tooth bear. She had it out several times on the drive home and then again when we got home.

That night she put her tooth in the bear and under her pillow and hoped the Tooth Fairy would come. Indeed, she did. And she brought a nice crisp $1 bill.

And now, on to February 16th. After dance we eat dinner and nothing has been said about the 2nd loose tooth or progress of wiggling or anything. Belle goes to the bathroom and I start cleaning up dinner. A few minutes later she comes hauling out and says "Momma!! Look at this!" And I look:

"OH MY HECK, BELLE!" She said she went into the bathroom and twisted it and heard a 'pop' and a 'crack' and this is what happened. She ran in to show Tren and he of course wants to pull it right then.

Just another great picture. See the 2 adult teeth growing in behind the baby's? Lovely, eh? And she is also growing molars. -note, I love that you can see her peach fuzz on her sweet little cheeks-

We all end up in the bathroom and she is on the sink fogging up the mirror trying to be brave and just yank it out. Tren and I are also, inches from her, with our fingers out ready to pull too. "You're too close to me!" is what she says, so we give her some space and leave the bathroom.

Next thing I hear is "Oh snap!" and she hops off the sink and turns around just as I'm looking in and she is holding the tooth in her hand and smiling at me with a big bloody grin!

Again, we tuck the tooth snugly into its pocket and off to bed. Another $1 bill is delivered. (The Tooth Fairy gives dollars at her step-bro/sis's house, so she does the same here to follow suit.)

I'm so proud of Belley and her braveness and how much she is growing up. It is sad to see, but also very exciting.