Where’s the baby?
“Mom, I’m starting to think maybe the tooth fairy isn’t real.”
This declaration from the Little Prince had me reeling. He can’t be outgrowing the tooth fairy! Not yet. I’m not ready.
Okay, so the tooth fairy that serves our family (assuming that there may be more than one, given the volume of work) is a bit of a dud, which isn’t helping matters. This pronouncement by my young son came on a morning of disappointment. He had lost a loose tooth the day before while biting into an apple. That night he dutifully slipped it under his pillow. But alas, the tooth was still there in the morning.
I’m thinking our tooth fairy is a heavy sleeper. Sure, she might set an alarm for the middle of the night when she knows a tooth is waiting, but she just hits the snooze button until the thing gives up.
Or maybe she’s got a really poor sense of direction, like myself, and gets lost from time to time.
Our tooth fairy has been late before. In her defense, however, she has always arrived the next night. We must be patient, I remind my kids. But I’m not sure Logan is buying anymore.
I suppose the Easter Bunny will be next. But I’m drawing the line at any attacks on Santa’s reputation. There are limits to this growing-up thing. No need to hurry the inevitable.
This mess probably has something to do with the two teenage girls living in our house. They think they’re too old for the tooth fairy and the Easter Bunny (although they know better than to utter a critical word about Santa). They can go ahead and be their big almost-grown-up selves, but when it comes to the Little Prince, well this is my baby we’re talking about. When he gives up the tooth fairy, she’ll never again come to visit our home. Ditto for the Easter Bunny.
What’ll be next? Oh, I know what’ll be next. I’ll start feeling old. And the next teeth to fall out will be my own.
It’s not just this tooth fairy thing. There have been other signs. A few days ago I was with Logan in line at the grocery store. He was standing in front of me, and for a few moments I draped my arms over his shoulders in a kind of hug. My little guy is the cuddly sort. But then the unthinkable happened: He very suddenly flung my arms off him, without even turning to look at me. I was taken aback. Then I saw the cause: A girl from his class was walking by. And so it starts.
But don’t worry about me. I’ll soon be feeling better. This is nothing that two litres of Death by Chocolate ice cream can’t cure.
