Hayley’s bottom tooth was loose for about a month, and it was driving her crazy because she felt like it was taking forever to come out. She kept wiggling it and poking at it, but it was still in there. She couldn’t wait for it to fall out so she could leave it for the tooth fairy. We even have a special container for it that my aunt gave her so that it can be left out on a night table (so the tooth fairy doesn’t disturb you by feeling around for a tiny tooth under your pillow) and she was excited about getting some money in exchange for the tooth.

Then on Saturday we went out for a birthday BBQ party. Hayley had a blast splashing around in the pool with some of those floating noodles and by the time all the kids showed up, she was in the pool more than she was out.

(Meanwhile, Breanna wanted NOTHING to do with the pool or the sprinkler, and settled for playing with a Dora ball, throwing pebbles, and clinging to my neck.)

Everything was fine until we had supper, which included corn on the cob. Hayley loves corn. You see where this is going right? She took a little nibble and said it hurt. I asked if she wanted me to cut the corn off but she refused. Two minutes later there was screaming and crying because her tooth had been knocked to one side and it hurt very much. Poor Hayley ended up not eating much of anything after that, except for half a small piece of cake, which wasn’t so bad because it was a mousse cake.

She whimpered about it on and off whenever it moved too much and we were really hoping it would just fall out already. It was so cute when she went to bed, because she curled up in a complicated little ball on her side, saying that she didn’t want to lie on her back in case her tooth fell out; she was very worried she’d swallow it in her sleep.

The next day, we headed out so Hayley could have her official soccer photos taken (so cute, I can’t wait!) and then we went to visit my parents for Father’s Day. My mom hugged Hayley with a big, tight squeeze and Hayley suddenly jumped back and said, “My tooth came out!” With no fanfare at all, it had just popped right out in her mouth. Thank GOD.

She was very excited and showed my mom and dad the big space where the tooth used to be. When we went to see George’s parents, she ran around showing them too. She couldn’t wait to put her tooth away for the tooth fairy, and was wondering what she would get in return.

And then we came home and she burst into tears because she didn’t want to give her tooth away. “But I love it!” she kept saying, over and over. We gently tried to persuade her to put it out because she would get some money for it and then she could go buy something at the store with her loot, whereas she couldn’t do much of anything with an old tooth. That didn’t work at all.

George even tried to see if she would consider lending the tooth fairy her tooth but not a chance! In the end, George got some paper and wrote a nice letter to the tooth fairy explaining that Hayley wasn’t ready to let go of her tooth yet, so to please not take it. Then we put the tooth in the container, taped it shut, and stuck the note to it. It’s a good thing that the tooth fairy can read!

As of this moment, she’s considering lending it out after all, as long as she can get it back another time. Also, she showed me that the tooth next to it is also loose, so she’s thinking she might keep the first one and give away the second one. The other alternative is that she knows the tooth fairy (*cough*) makes jewelry for other fairies out of old teeth so maybe the tooth fairy will bring her a little necklace with a “pearl” made from her tooth. We’ll see what she thinks.

I just can’t believe that she’s losing her teeth. She’s not even five yet, but now she looks so big. Last night at the soccer game, she was so proud to show off her lost tooth to her coach, her team, random parents, anyone who would look in her mouth.

I still remember when she first got those teeth. I can’t believe they’re starting to fall out already!