Lost Tooth

Maya finally lost her first tooth a few days ago. For about two weeks Maya had said one of her lower teeth was loose. Last week she wanted me to pull it out but each time I went to move it, she backed down and said "Don't pull it!" There are certain memories you always keep. Having my dad pull out one of my teeth is one of those memories. After he pulled out a tooth, I never ever wanted him near my mouth when I had another loose tooth. I was terrified of him...hmm...perhaps that has something to do with my fear of dentists. Nah...it was that whack job dentist we saw in Reno when we were kids. Man, I hated that guy and the people that worked for him.

Anyway, as a dad I know there are things I'll end up having to do even though I really don't want to do them. Pulling out one of Maya's teeth goes on that list. I was prepared to pull the tooth, but really felt it wasn't loose enough and so each day past with it getting a bit looser and looser. Well last Saturday when she was at her dance lesson I guess her stomping the floor was enough to jar it loose. Linda said Maya stopped dancing and had this look that she know what had happened. Linda walked up to Maya and Maya spit the tooth out of her mouth. Linda said there was little blood.

So for some reason Maya has decided to not sell the tooth to the Tooth Fairy. She wants to keep all her teeth. I never told her that as I child I also kept my baby teeth. Funny thing is that even though I kept my teeth, I still received one large silver dollar under my pillow for each tooth. I really don't know how that worked.

It's true what they say, "they grow up so fast." I honestly don't know where the last six...almost seven years has gone. I look at Maya and she looks so grown up already. When she was an infant I looked her and imagined what she would look like when she was a teenager. I don't do that any more. I look at her and just see her for who she is, right now.