Tears welled up in Ryan’s eyes as he opened his mouth to reveal a small tooth hanging by a thread. Ryan tends to be dramatic, so I’m not sure how much pain he is really in. Part of me wants to reach in and start wiggling it and pull it out myself, but I think better of it and offer some Motrin for “the pain.” He declines the Motrin and reaches for a fruit roll-up, his tears magically disappear.
Doubting my abilities to deal with such a dilemma (disregarding the fact that we’ve been there done that as far as losing teeth is concerned.) I go on Google and type “How to Pull a Loose Tooth.” It turns out my first instinct was right Wiggle the loose tooth back and forth. Do this over and over again until the tooth is as loose as possible. Thank you EHow contributor. You have confirmed the obvious.
The only thing is, I can’t do it. Instead, we both forget about it for a while.
Later that evening, he cuddles up with me and we watch Billy the Exterminator (on Demand). After two episodes, he announces, “I’m ready for bed.”
“Okay”, I said, “Go brush your teeth.”
“I CAN’T, it’s going to hurt my tooth!” he complained.
“Okay, just work around the tooth and make sure you use your rinse,” I said.
He comes out and announces his teeth are clean.
As I tuck him in, I ask to see his tooth. It is literally hanging by a thread. I want to reach in there and with a simple tug, pull that sucker out, but I just know his reaction will be screaming and crying.
I ask him to move it with his tongue, and it just hangs on there, like a dead leaf on a tree blowing in the wind. I know. This is going to fall out tonight. But what if he swallows it? I go get a small mirror to show him how loose it is.
Then he starts to cry, “What if I swallow it at night?” (My thoughts exactly.)
Not so sure myself, I assure him all will be fine and we will work on it tomorrow. I kiss him goodnight and go back to On Demand.
I watch Extreme Couponing All Stars (for the first time). I think, geeze, what kind of loser am I? I just went grocery shopping and didn’t bring one coupon. So, I don’t know how to deal with this tooth, and I didn’t save a dime on my groceries. (Oh, and not to forget the fruit roll up. Since when is sugar and plastic a good food choice?) Oh well. What else is on?
After watching a show on hoarding animals, I am starting to feel better about myself. (We don’t own any animals.)
I go back in to check on Ryan. He is sound asleep. I thought about it. I thought about reaching in there and with one little tug, instead I just kiss his check and say, “Goodnight buddy.” He twitches slightly.
The next morning, I am out on my laptop, checking email and enjoying my morning coffee.
He runs out of his room.
“Mom, my tooth is gone!”
It’s still dark and James is sleeping over in his bed. I run and grab the flashlight and shine it on Ryan’s bed. There it is. Right to the left of where his head was on the pillow. (Phew! He didn’t swallow it!)
After I gave it to him and he was definitely thrilled, without missing a beat he said, “Mom, do I still have time to put it under my pillow for the tooth fairy? It’s still dark out!”
This one I had no doubt about. “No buddy. Let’s put it under your pillow tonight,” I said.
(The tooth fairy is good, but she’ not THAT good.)
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What a great story! Dave and I got a kick of it! It brings back memories of my boys losing their teeth.
Jane recently posted..Fisher Almonds Winner!
Wow!
Thank God he didn’t swallow it. Although as I think about it, haven’t we all swallowed something that size and been okay?
*I thought you were going to say you pulled it out while he slept.
You have more patience than I do. I think I would have ripped it out. That’s a great story, I enjoyed reading it.
LOL shame on you, not bringing your coupons shopping! Glad he survived the tooth incident
BusyWorkingMama recently posted..List and Promote Your Giveaway 1/28
I’m laughing about you wanting to reach and and yank it, I felt the same way recently! My son just went through this with one of his top front teeth. That sucker held on by a single thread for a week! Every night, I thought for sure it would come out. He wouldn’t let me wiggle it though. He finally ended up yanking it on his own. I can’t wait to go through it with the other top front tooth, that one is loose now too.
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Boy does this bring back memories of my daughters when they were young. With my oldest daughter’s first loose tooth, we tried everything… even considered the string on the doorknob & tooth then slam the door trick (my daughter said NO WAY!). She went to the babysitter’s house the next day after school, and to my dismay, the babysitter pulled it out! While I was glad it was finally out, I was annoyed with my babysitter for doing it. I felt like I missed out on a “first”. I would’ve been happier if it had just fallen out while she was sleeping.
Ahhh this brings back memories
Although today I’d have a hard time being a tooth fairy – since I use my debit card for everything I haven’t even touched cash in MONTHS!
I am so glad that you all stopped by to comment on my little story. It has already made my day to see your comments. Wendy, I thought about him swallowing it too, and thinking about the size of it made me feel better if it did happen….it was very tiny.
Aleks, I picked up the Sunday paper – fresh coupons!
Jane, Deb and Donna – I’m glad it brought back memories for you.
Nikki, he’s a sensitive little guy…..pulling it out would have been VERY traumatic. I am glad nature took it’s course overnight!
UGH – I kid you not, I get the same drama over here with my 7 year old. He has lost 8 teeth now and has swalled 4 of them because he wouldn’t let me near his mouth to pull the tooth. Even though I insist that it will end his “suffering”, he will let it hang by a thread in his mouth until he eventually just swallows the darn things. Thankfully the last 2 that he lost were at school, so I think he wanted to show off to his friends.
I am so squeamish about loose teeth that I could never help my kids pull them. I’m glad it ended up coming out in the night with no drama! And I’m also glad he didn’t swallow it!
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell recently posted..Newsies is Broadway Bound!
My daughter is a drama queen, too. She never lets me help things along with the baby teeth hanging by a thread. She lost her 1st tooth at night while we were on vacation. Luckily, she did not swallow it, either! Recently, her baby teeth fall off at school. Better the nurse than me!
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Thank you for the giveaway!!