Losing baby teeth & baby beliefs
Posted on July 8, 2010 by FoBaM-Jamie
My six-and-a-half year-old daughter lost her first baby tooth this week. The event was rather anti-climactic. For weeks, we’d been watching her front tooth wiggle, dangle, and twist; and then – while she was eating a green popsicle – it just dropped into her hand. No blood, no tears, no drama. She looked momentarily surprised and then ran immediately to the bathroom mirror to proudly check out her gappy reflection.
I got a little choked up. I already feel like my baby is growing up so fast, and now that she’s started dropping chiclets, I feel like puberty is right around the corner. It won’t be long now. Pretty soon, she’ll be going off to school wearing her own Big Girl Shoes instead of playing dress up with mine. I can almost hear her asking to borrow the car.
Thankfully, some pieces of childhood magic still linger. The tooth fairy, for instance, was a much anticipated guest. My daughter solemnly placed her tooth in the special, little box that my sister had given her for the occasion. We placed the box outside my daughter’s room (because the tooth fairy wouldn’t be able to open the bedroom door), and left the box unlatched (in case the clasp was too tricky for tiny fairy fingers). Around 2AM, my daughter woke me up and led me to the hall where she pointed excitedly at the book of poetry the tooth fairy had left (along with a greenback bookmark as a special treat for that first tooth). Despite the lateness of the hour, I smiled at the unwavering belief in my daughter’s eyes.
I know that children have to grow up. That’s their job. On the one hand, I am so proud of her and love to watch as she learns more and more about the world. On the other hand, I grieve for the innocence that must be lost. The day will come when she will give up the tooth fairy, her dragon pen pal, and Santa Claus. She will let these fantasies fall away like outgrown clothes; and I will have to let them go, too. I only hope that she won’t stop believing in magic all together. As a mom, I know that magic really does exist – in the eyes of a child who believes.
Image Credit: From Becky Kelly’s Tooth Fairy Kit
I love this. My daughter is that age right now, and this drove me to tears. That is exactally how I feel.
@Shelly – It’s such a transitional time. I feel like when I was her age, I was still very much a child, whereas now kids this age seem more like tweens than little girls. I’m holding on to whatever I can for as long as she’ll let me!
my 5 year old son’s tooth has started to wiggle!! i am sad but happy. i never really fathemed how fast they grew til i had my lil man!! it is almost sureal!! best of luck and take care
@ashley – It IS almost surreal! Thanks and you take care, too. Hold on to those little moments.
Got me all teary at work. My nearly 5 year old has yet to loose his first, but I’m sure it’s just around the corner.
@Jen – I’m really glad I work from home today, because I’ve been blubbering on and off all morning. Those pesky heartstrings come with motherhood whether you want them or not! 
My daughter is at this age as well. However, I tell her that the Tooth Fairy only exists in fairy tales, and that I keep her teeth and show her where I keep them. I know I’m in the minority, but I don’t believe in keeping up these elaborate lies. (No, we don’t do Santa either, or the Easter Bunny.)
I wouldn’t tell her Dora is real, because she isn’t. Same thing applies here.
That said, I can certainly understand the sentiment. I was very sad when her first tooth came out.