Joel loses a Tooth

Today was a very exciting day in the Heppner household. A few days ago, I noticed that one of Joel's bottom teeth looked a bit crooked. So I asked him if I could feel it, and sure enough, it was loose! He was a bit unnerved about the idea of his tooth falling out, until I reassured him that a new adult one was going to replace it. Joel had it in his head that all his teeth would fall out and he'd look something like Asha did a few months ago. "How will I eat my food?".

We knew that we should probably talk with the other parents around and see what the going rate was for teeth. It looks like Joel will earn 1 or 2Bs per tooth and be able to buy a decent amount of candy with it.

For the past three days, he's been wiggling it and twisting it and poking it. When he showed his friend Nathan, Nathan was impressed and said to him, "That's great that your teeth are falling out because you can get money for them. My mom says it's the tooth fairy, but I know it's really just her and Dad that sneak into my room at night". Honesty, always the best route between friends!

Yesterday he tried to eat an apple, but it ripped at his tooth. Carl said he came screaming outside, "Ahhhhhhhh......the apple broke my tooth in half!". Everyone on the yard thought it was pretty hilarious. Last night, Joel announced that he would no longer be able to eat hard foods until his tooth came out, to avoid any other incidents like the apple one.

This morning, while eating his breakfast cereal, Joel gasped and then hollered, "My tooth, my tooth! It's out....and it's......it's gone....". His tooth fell out and he promptly swallowed it. For a brief second he looked at me with disappointment in his eyes and I know he was thinking what I was thinking, "maybe I can just throw it up quickly, Mom". I told him that was okay, he'd still be able to get some money for it.

Tomorrow morning we told him that he should look under his pillow for something special. Kezia piped up to Joel that even though he may think it's the tooth fairy who is bringing money, it's really Mom or Dad and there's going to be no lady with bug wings flying into our house. Whew! That's a relief.