Another First...Lost TEETH!

We have achieved another first in our family.  Last week (January 13th to be exact), Nathaniel came home from school and we went about our evening as usual.  Ate dinner (spaghetti with meat sauce), watched a movie, snuggled on the couch.  At bedtime I told the boys to go brush their teeth.  After brushing they always come "eeee" and "Ahhhh" for me so I can do an inspection of their "work".  

So, Nate comes out, asks how he did and I say "Um, Dude, where's your tooth?!?!?" 

He had a big gaping hole in his teeth where one tooth had been and another hung on for dear life.  So I grabbed a hold of his remaining loose tooth and when he pulled his head away the tooth stayed firmly between my two fingers.

Of course he then began to bleed.  Let me just say, for a boy who revels in blood and doom and gloom, he totally freaked out.

The gamut of emotions he proceeded to work through was, in a word, hilarious.  I hope that doesn't sound mean.  But he was all over the place.  He cried.  He screamed.  He laughed.  He thought he might bleed to death.  He was afraid his friends would pick on him and think he was a freak. 

 

Then he'd get all excited and giddy.  Followed by upset that the tooth fairy would be mad that he lost (swallowed?) his first tooth.  Sprinkled with some more giddy, some nervous laughter, and even more crying.  I could not keep up.

He was very excited to (finally!) get to use the "Army Fire Truck" tooth pillow Grandma made for him.  He proudly tucked his tooth inside and excitedly went to bed, full of questions about the tooth fairy and what she would do about his missing tooth.

The next morning he awoke to TWO shiny quarters (the tooth fairy is hurting from the economy, too, you know!) and a neatly printed (and funky folded) note from the Tooth Fairy about how proud she was and that it was ok that he lost his tooth.  She knew about it anyway.  And he was thrilled!

I still can't get quite used to the new "landscape" that is now my big boy's smile.  He looks so grown up with a gaping hole in his teeth.  It makes him lisp ever so slightly, too... which I love, but I assume that will go away like other adorable (and fleeting!) mannerisms and habits.  

I'm just so proud of my Bug.  What a handsome boy.  Congratulations, Nate!  One more milestone met!