Let me just begin by giving you some background on Kole and pulling teeth. #1 Kole doesn't pull his teeth! #2 He's now lost 8 to date and only the last one did he have any part of removing from his gums.
Tooth number 1 (because I know you're dying to know this), Nanny pulled. Sneaky Nanny had that one out before he had any idea what pulling teeth was all about. Tooth number 2, fudge cake that was over cooked. I will skip the drama surrounding it but it all took place at a pot luck after church at Nanny's cowboy church in New Mexico. Tooth number 3, Dentist and her billing office...ouch. Tooth number 4 literally fell out in his mouth, no blood involved. Teeth 5-7, one of the perks of being 7 and having surgery with loose teeth. Dr. prefers you not inhale them and pulls them and saves many hours of drama at home.
That brings us to my story today. The story of tooth number 8. I will now just refer to tooth number 8 as 8 for the remainder of this story.
8 had a plan from the beginning it seems. 8 was just as loose if not looser than 5,6 and 7 just 10 days ago and yet the Dr. didn't remove it. Something was obviously special about 8.
I served Kole a crunchy vegetable for an afternoon snack that Friday. That was all it took to loosen 8 to super floppy status as far as loose teeth go. I'd seen this all before and I was in no mood for the sure to come "drama". There was blood and there was moaning and for pete's sake it could've been a broken leg and it wouldn't have been as bad. Okay, when they ask those strange social media questions like "what are you known for"? I can never answer "compassion". Just not my gig, not the way I roll, not happening. Yes, I'll kiss a booboo, but now get over it and let's do something fun. Ignore issue and issue will surely be quiet, right?
So this tooth deal was getting no air play time from mom today. Seemed to be working after the bleeding stopped, as he geared up for the backyard and took off to scout out rodents or capture innocent insects. I hit the kitchen for my daily game show of "what to cook today and have it done in 30 minutes without any planning". The joys of being a fly by the seat of your capris kind of gal. You can insert your pity sigh of compassion for my family now. We are by all means boring eaters unless black char adds some kind of culinary bonus points I'm not aware of.
Next thing I know it's late, late afternoon and Kole is bounding into the house proclaiming "I pulled it"!! I'm thinking who hit you in the mouth and knocked it out, because this child DOES NOT pull teeth. Sure enough 8 is out. He has touched that tooth and moved it just enough that it has indeed fallen out. Sound the alarms and kill the fatted calf he finally did it!
So around 7:30 Kole informs me that the father of one of his friends has told him something about the tooth fairy. Apparently in some parts of the world, like Keller, you can write a letter to the tooth fairy and leave it with your tooth. Here's the good part so listen up. You can ask the TF for a toy. Oh yeah, a specific toy even. So, yeah, Kole is all on board with this new information and he's writing a letter to the TF tonight!! He's going to ask for a nerf gun. You betcha, Santa's got nothing on the TF now (other than months to prepare and plan and shop and pack the sleigh). Let me tell you, Kole's talk time with this Keller dad is now heavily monitored.
Crud, what in the world. Kent comes home and we eventually get around to this exciting development. Like it is now 9 o'clock and he's putting Kole to bed. He's looking at me and I'm staggering around the kitchen like , uh, I don't know....a nerf gun, I don't have a nerf gun, who writes a letter to the tooth fairy? you're the dad, you handle this kind of emergency, and just pretty much dumb founded and thinking this is just ridiculous anway right. I've pretty much tried to convince Kole through the evening that you don't really get toys from the TF. He hasn't bought it at all because JD's dad has told him and it DOES happen, thank you very much!! He's written the note and he's asking for a nerf gun, end of discussion. Well, crud.....
Kent asks me "so what are we going to do"? I reply "I don't know, I don't have a nerf gun"in one of those really tired parent voices.
Kent walks a few steps and it hits me. "Actually, there is a nerf gun in the guest room closet". I bought it a few years ago on sale for cheap, thinking it would make a cool birthday gift for some little boy. However, every time a birthday party rolled around I would dismiss the nerf gun as not right for X child and buy something else. You know because not all boys like nerf guns??? I know, but 8 was part of a grander scheme remember. So Kent trots off to the closet and assembles a nerf gun, because everyone knows you just write a letter and the TF brings it.
Next morning my sweet late sleeper comes dragging in to our room and with total disgust plops down a handful of pitiful coins and slaps a heart felt letter to the TF down and proclaims "she just brought me change"! He looks like someone stole his dog and replaced it with saw dust. Oh, and my heart sinks even though I know the gun is there somewhere. I want to sprint to his bed and show him, but I have to play along for a few minutes. I'm also wondering how he missed this not so small nerf gun? Where did the TF leave it anyway??
A reasonable amount of time later I head up and check out the room. There it is under the OTHER pillow. I redirect Kole and of course he's ecstatic.
I'm hoping there aren't any more teeth pulled around here for a while. Thank goodness God took care of that one. Parenting requires a good amount of God.
