The Tooth and They keep us laughing!

“I just don’t know about this...”

That was the phrase Katelyn said over and over regarding her first loose tooth. I’ll never forget her wide eyes one morning when she gasped and said that she had a very loose tooth. She was panicked. Several months before she was convinced her tooth was loose, but nothing ever came of it. This time it was real and legit cause for alarm.

And honestly, it was really hard not to chuckle at her reaction, because let’s face it, she’s a funny kid. But this was not funny to her; losing her first tooth at age six is serious business.

Katelyn does not like the anticipation of new experiences, so this forced reality of losing a tooth was a mental and emotional adjustment beyond her level of comfort. I tried to play it off as no big deal, thinking she would relax a little. She did not. In typical Katelyn style, she fretted and analyzed and needed to talk about it and prepare as best she could. So, we prayed that God would help her be brave. She tucked her little tooth container in her backpack, just in case. She sought reassuring conversations with friends and Annabelle who have been there, done that. Dave and I told stories of when we lost our first teeth. For several weeks Katelyn all but refused to let anyone near her mouth to check the progress of the loose tooth. She carefully tried to avoid chewing with her front teeth. 

I really wish that tooth would’ve just randomly fallen out one day and put us all out of her misery. 

Then one night, she nervously told me that her tooth was very, very loose. I finally convinced her to let me look at it. Oh, goodness! How that tooth was still hanging on, I'll never know. I seriously thought it might fall out if I just looked at it wrong. I told her that it was time to let the tooth go because I was afraid she was going to swallow it. So she took a deep breath and let me pull it.

And then she mourned the loss of it. 

Before bed she told me, "This morning I prayed that today would be the day I would lose my tooth." I asked her why today, and she said it was because she was just tired of dealing with it and wanted it to be done. By the way, loose tooth #2 is already underway and she's not the least bit worried about it.

____________________

Me: If this doll bed is difficult to put together, I'm not doing it tonight. 
K: I'll help you! Teamwork makes the dream work, Mommy.

K, getting in the car: Thanks for the Uber! (no clue how she knows about Uber)

K: I want to go up to the moon and see if it's really made of cheese.

Me: You and I are a lot alike. Always thinking of things to make!
K: Yeah, but I don't want to be an artist. They don't make a lot of money. I want to work at the American Girl store. I know their workers make a lot because their dolls are expensive.

K: I've always wanted to go to Africa.
Me: What do you want to see?
K: Giraffes. Zebras. Elephants. Pandas. Armadillos.

K: Ryan, you're going into time out when we get home.
Me: You don't get to do that. You're not the boss of him.
K: Well... I kind of am.

K (while driving to church and without any context): Once I saw a bat eating a banana and a watermelon.

Me: Dear God, thank you for...
R: Dada! Mama! Katelyn! And vroom vroom!!!!

R, standing on top of a toy: I so funny!

Me: Can you say books?
R: Books!
Me: Can you say apple?
R: App-ee!
Me: Can you say love?
R: No.

Me: Why did you leave Ryan upstairs by himself?
K: I didn't, he has my imaginary friend with him.

K: Who in our family speaks Chinese?
Me: Um, I don't think anybody. Are you looking to have something translated?
K: No, I was just checking.

Things I Love Right Now

My messy art table. Ok, maybe the mess drives me crazy sometimes and I have plans to better organize the space, but I love the reason it’s messy. Katelyn spends hours at this table creating all sorts of things. She put 28 presents under our Christmas tree, all of them handmade and wrapped herself. My art table was a Christmas present from my parents when I was in high school. It has seen layers of charcoal and pastels and paint and design and failed college art projects and successful great ideas. Years ago when money was tight and the art table was being stored under a bed because we didn’t have room for it, I suggested we sell it. Without hesitation, Dave shook his head and encouraged me to keep it, and I’m so glad I listened to him. Now, my art table is covered in paper and glitter glue and stickers and whatever else Katelyn needs to execute her own great ideas. She and I both need this creative space (because without it, we would be making a mess elsewhere in the house!).

What's that? Ryan is learning to talk and often asks, "What's that?" I love this, not just because it is adorable, but because it's a reminder of his innocence and the honor it is to parent and teach him so many things. 

Bedtime with Ryan. His bedroom window faces the street, so each night we open the curtains, push up the blinds, and talk about all the “vroom vrooms” driving by and tell them goodnight. We talk about cars and buses and motorcycles and bikes because he is obsessed with all things that have wheels. Even through his bedroom is dark, the street lights from outside hit his face just right and I fall in love with my handsome boy all over again. And then we sit in the rocking chair and sing “Wheels on the Bus” because it is his favorite, followed by “Matilda the Gorilla,” a song I learned 30 years ago at Glorieta Day Camp. We pray and I let him fill in the blanks for what he wants to thank God for… Dada, Mama, Katelyn, vroom vrooms, books, balls, the moon. Then he puts his head on my shoulder and I can feel him calming down and all is right in my world.