Today the Rooster lost his first tooth. At school. It hurt a little when he ran to tell me and handed a little tissue wrapped package over. Along with all the other parts of his day that I miss witnessing, today I added milestone to that list. I drove home thinking about the post I would write tonight documenting the loss of his first tooth. I remembered one of my favourite photos of Luca and knew that I would include it. I had most of the post composed in my head by the time I got to the park this afternoon.
However, the story of that lost tooth changes here. At the park, one of the kids needed a tissue. I found a clean one in the bottom of my bag, along with a whole bunch of other half used, balled up discarded ones. I began systematically cleaning out my bag, pocket by pocket, thinking to myself, man there was a lot of crap in there. I put the debris into an empty biscuit packet and thoughtlessly tossed it into the rubbish bin when we got up to leave.
When I got to the car I gasped. OMG!!!! The tooth was in one of those balled up, discarded tissues. The blood left my face as I raced to the bin, squeezed my head under the little roof that public bins have and with a huge breath, I threw my head into the bin opening. There it was. The biscuit packet. ALL THE WAY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BIN. There was no way to reach it. The Rooster was hysterical, more I think, because of the whole tooth fairy deal and I was distressed, as I had yet to clap my eyes on the little peg.
I dangled Luca in but his little arms were not long enough. We found a coat hanger but that didn't work. I admitted defeat, convinced the Rooster that the tooth fairy would accept a letter of apology about the lost tooth and belted up to go home.
It was then that we noticed the umbrellas poking out from under the seat and dashed back out to try again. Two attempts and we had success (the first saw my son dangling once again head first into a council bin). The tooth is safely tucked into his tooth envelope and ensconced under his pillow to wait for the magic.
I misplace my keys on most days. I struggle to keep my phone charged. Once a week my purse and I get separated, but when it comes to the Mumma things, I don't drop the ball. I am on it. To lose that tooth... I don't think I would ever live that one down.
We like a good story here in this family for the big things that happen in our lives. We love the retelling and the embellishments as it is told and retold again. Losing your first tooth at school without Mum, before recess, was not enough. It needed a good story with a happy ending. Something to really remember. Something to tell his kids about when they lose their first teeth.
Oh, and here is that really cute photo I was thinking about way back in the beginning of this tale.
Note for later. That tooth he lost was the first that he got. Front left.
