Bittersweet Milestone: His First Tooth

His Big Sister was the one who first noticed when this tooth came in.

He was just 5 months old at the time.

Five years later, it fell out at the breakfast table for us all to share.

All but one of us. 

Cinderella was visiting her Mom that weekend.

Her empty chair made the moment bittersweet.

That is, until she came home that night and he could tell her all about what happened.

Then the circle was complete.

Milestone Rewind

Indulge me for a minute and pretend... for now, that it's last Sunday.
March 30th.
Are you with me?
Ok. Great.

*ahem*

OMG! Internet!
You won't believe what *just* happened. RIGHT NOW. At the BREAKFAST table!

(The SUNDAY breakfast table in case you forgot what day of the week we are on. Pretend I am Oprah or Ellen or one of those talk show hosts who pre-records their shows. K?)

Hansel has JUST lost his FIRST tooth! Gah!
It's been loose for about a week. He proudly announced and showed it to me after getting off the school bus last Monday.
Panic ensued. My [former] Stepmom, his Nanny, bought him this last month.
(Isn't it cute? And the personalized letter from the tooth fairy is preshus!)
"Oh you can hold on to it for a while. His tooth is only slightly loose so it could be several months before it's loose enough to fall out. No need to rush over here to get it to us. There's plenty of time."
Yes, clearly I am new at this.
Like I said, PANIC ensued. I grab the phone, run into Gretel's room, close the door and crouch down behind her rocking chair to make the secret call.
"OMG WE NEED THE PILLOW NOW NOW NOW IT'S GONNA FALL OUT AND THE TOOTHFAIRY CAN'T COME WITHOUT IT AAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"
Pillow is dropped off Monday night followed by daily phone calls for the rest of the week asking "Did it fall out yet????"
*sigh*
When it finally fell out, we were eating this. We JUST sat down to eat this for breakfast a mere MOMENTS AGO and I was about to ask Hansel how his tooth was when he suddenly exclaimed that it JUST FELL OUT!!! as he spit it into his hand and then flashed a bloody smile filled with mushy monkey bread and a gaping hole between his lower right and remaining central incisor.
YUM! Eat up everyone!
After several moments of oohing and aahhhing we sent him to the bathroom to wash up and admire his missing tooth in the mirror while I quickly retrieved the hidden tooth fairy pillow from our closet and left it along with the letter on his pillow.
He's JUST found the pillow and his reaction was is classic!

Yes, there are pictures. And a little video as he read his letter.
But they are ... umm... on my camera.
So, let's pretend that it's SATURDAY and this momentous milestone hasn't happened yet so how could I possibly have any pictures to show you. You silly internet.
K?
But WAIT till you see what I have to show you tomorrow!! You won't believe what's ABOUT TO already HAPPENed in the castle!!!

Oh, and just out of curiosity, what's the Tooth Fairy's going rate nowadays for a FIRST tooth?

Who Needs a Hot Water Bottle?

When you have a feverish toddler to keep you warm!

If she wasn't in bed WITH me, she was ON me.

All. Day.

For TWO days.

She's better today. No fever but you can hear the "stuff" taking up residence in her nose. I better stock up on tissues with lotion.

2 Firsts for Gretel

Her first lollipop.
Followed by her first urinary catheterization.
Boy is she strong!
"Yeah, thanks doc. Can we move this along please? I have a big toe IN MY EYE!"
Oops.
"Umm, doc? That is NOT something I particularly want to hear when you are sticking a tube into my daughter's vajayjay."
***
Tests came back negative. No UTI. No diabetes.
Cause of stinky urine and pirate breath. Unknown.

No Trolls Allowed

Friday. 12:30pm. Hansel's* school.
We had an incident today.
Oh?
Yes. Hansel was pinched by another student.
It was completely unprovoked?
Yes. He was turning off the lights for naptime and another student pinched him.
I washed his arm and gave out lots and hugs and kisses.
Because of some ridiculous policy no doubt designed to protect little Trolls from irate mothers Hansel's Teacher was not allowed to tell me the name of his assailant.
He on the other hand was all too happy to stand over her sleeping body while pointing her out.
She's right here Mommy!
POINT!
POINT!
She looked so sweet and innocent as she slumbered. I wanted to stomp on her sleeping Troll face on the way out the door.
My Son had a swollen welt and bruise the size of a silver dollar on his tender underarm flesh.
HOURS later it was still there.
TrollGirl is a Champion pincher. She's either done this before, or has been pinched a few times herself. She knew right where to strike to do the most damage.
Hansel's teacher filed an incident report which was sent home with TrollGirl's mother.
(NO apology was given, BTW. By either TrollGirl or TrollGirl's Mom.)

***

Monday. 12:30pm.
Hansel is playing in the back of his classroom. With two Girls.
(Oh, his Dad would be so proud.)
One of them, TrollGirl #2, sees me and knows I am here to take Hansel home.
She places herself in his Path and backs him against the wall. She isn't ready for her Playmate to leave.
He is too innocent to know what she is doing or to be bothered by it.
Sadly for TrollGirl #2 his Mother knows what she is doing. And I am bothered by it. I don't like Bullies.
I have to step between them in order to escort my Son out of the classroom.
I later ask Hansel about TrollGirl #2. What game were they playing. Were they playing nicely together.
I don't know the name of the game, Mommy. TrollGirl#2 picked it. She likes to boss me around.
He then tells me he is not bothered by it blah blah blah.
Ok then.
I tell the overprotective Mother Bear inside me to SHUT UP and let it go.

***

Wednesday 12:30pm.
Same scenario. Different Day.
This time when TrollGirl #2 sees me she pulls Hansel BY.HIS.COLLAR to keep his attention on Her. I stumble over the midget-sized table and chairs as I rush to intervene with this little snot who is challenging me and bullying my son.
Excuse me, but playtime is over. It's time for Hansel to come with ME.
NOW.
As we are getting his coat on TrollGirl comes to the front of the classroom and stands with her hand on her hip. She keeps her body squared off with his. Hansel is oblivious to her and speaks with his Teacher while trying to get his coat on. He looks like a dog chasing his tail as he spins in circles trying to chase down the ever-elusive sleeve to his jacket.
(It was quite hilarious, actually. Reminds me of this.)
TrollGirl's eyes are fixed on Hansel. She adjusts her weight from hip to hip as she remains fixated on my Son.
She is vying for his attention.
Hansel has no idea she is there.
Hansel, say goodbye to your Friend.
Goodbye!
Goodbye Hansel.
TrollGirl #2 is satisfied and walks off.
At the car I question Hansel about TrollGirl #2 again. I don't like what I am seeing. He is being bullied by girls GIRLS! and doesn't think to care. My mind fast-forwards 10 years from now when he gets his heart stomped on by some other TrollGirl. My heart breaks at the thought of this.
Mommy, you know what I told TrollGirl #2 before? That one day I was going to marry her.
ACK!
Nuh-uh. No way. I'm going to nip this in the bud RIGHT NOW.
No Trolls Allowed.
Time for the protective armor. I wonder, which do you think would be the most effective. This, this or something more to the point like this?

(*I'm exercising a little creative freedom and parental right! My blog. My kids. So henceforth The Boy and The Mouse shall now be called Hansel & Gretel.)

What We Have Here Is A Failure To Communicate

Remember this?
Umm... yeah, not so cute anymore.
The Mouse is lacking in the verbal skills department. But why speak when she can exercise her lungs.
All. Day. Long.
She has turned into a screamer.
(Which, if applied in the proper situations much MUCH later in life, will make some man very happy one day.)
Her screams have now become synonymous with any and every request that a Toddler can possibly think up in a 24 hour period.
I want that toy.
I want to sit in your lap.
I want you to read me this book. No... wait, I want to get down.
I want this book.
NO.
This book!
I want that cup. Not that cup. THAT cup. No I want THAT CUP. Over there. THAT CUP! THAT CUP! GAWD YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO ME!
I want something to eat.
I want something else to eat.
I don't want to sit in my chair and eat.
I want my snack trap.
With Cheerios. Froot Loops. Oreos. Will they fit?
I want to play with the phone.
I want to play with the television remote.
No the REAL one; not the one without the batteries.
I want the toy my Brother is playing with. Oh, he's not playing with it anymore? Then I don't want it either.
I want the toy my Brother is playing with NOW.
Give me the toy.
GIVE IT TO ME.
NOW!
I want you to turn this toy on.
I want you to turn this toy off.
I want you to take the lid off this container.
I want you to put the lid back on this container.
I want to brush my own teeth.
NO! I want you to brush my teeth!
I want you to change my diaper.
Why are you putting me on the changing table and taking off my diaper?
PUT MY DIAPER BACK ON!
Why are my feet covered by socks? WHO PUT SOCKS ON MY FEET?
I want to take my socks off.
Take my socks off for me.
NOW!
What are these things in my hair?
I want to play with them.
I want you to take them out.
NOW!
I don't like the book you read me before. I want you to read THIS one.
No, no, no. I don't want you to actually read this book.
I want you to turn the pages.
Like I am a speed reader.
NO. You're turning the pages too fast. I can't see the pictures!
Start over.
I don't want you to turn the pages.
I want to do it myself.
These pages are too thin. I can't turn them.
Turn the pages for me.
I am tired. I want to go to bed.
::sigh::
She's not the only one.

When Allergies Attack: A Mother's Rant

Doc, you've mentioned Quality of Life but I haven't seen anything that's really interferred with his ability to function at all.
Ma'am you just had to go through three rounds of steroid treatments this Winter.

Oh.

When He puts it that way it's hard to argue.
The Boy has recently been diagnosed with asthma. I was adamant about him seeing an allergist so that we could educate ourselves on the management, treatment and triggers.
I wanted to know what we were up against.
Be careful what you wish for.
Within four days I’ve gone from a having a seemingly healthy four year old to one that (so far) is HIGHLY allergic to cats/dog/rabbits, still allergic to peanuts and now also dust mites. He spent four days dealing with oral steroids + six inhaler treaments/day. He now needs to be use a twice daily inhaler + nasal spray + oral allergy medication for the next month and we need to get covers for his mattress and pillow and wash ALL of his bedding in HOT water WEEKLY (including his favorite stuffed animal which he must, MUST sleep with every night) and get a HEPA filter for his room and probably find a new home for our 10 year old cats.
And we are still awaiting the rest of the blood test results so who knows what else he might be allergic to, and what this all means for him in the long term.

And THEN… AND-DEN!!AND-DEN!! … we get home from over two hours in the allergists office and The Boy decides he wants to play outside in the snow.
OK.
I tell him to stay in the side yard (b/c a level 2 sex offender is living 5 houses up the block from us. EWW!). Of course he DOES NOT LISTEN TO HIS MOTHER and goes sleigh riding down our FRONT LAWN and off the 4ft retaining wall landing on his back and hitting his head on the driveway.

I’m overwhelmed and unsettled. So much to process. So much yet to discover. Not enough happy pills for the Mommy.

Love Thursday: Childhood Wonder

... re-experiencing the World through Her.

Happy Love Thursday.