Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Missing Teeth


So Charles, my big mature boy - lost his two front teeth this week. Within one or two days of each other. I knew it was going to happen. They wiggled for months. Every morning he'd come in with a finger in the mouth saying, "Look Ma. This one is going to fall out any day now." Each night, I'd wiggle for him and tug a little until he reminded me that I "promised only one more time and now you've tugged like four times and it's not ready to come out so leave it alone until it's ready."

Well, this week, they were ready. Two in a row - just a day apart. Both front ones. Amazing. The scary thing is, even though this may seem like a momentus occasion in his growth, somehow this right of passage for him reminds me more than ever of just how little he really is.

There's just something about a kid with no teeth that makes them seem so small and helpless. I wasn't expecting that reaction from myself. Charles is our big boy. We've always held him to high standards - expecting probably more from him than he's even able to give at each age. And now, he seems so young. With his sweet slur of the "s" and "r" sounds. So innocent, packing his teeth in his hand-made tooth pillow and waiting on the tooth fairy. So fragile - asking me to cut his corn off the cob because the poor thing can't bite it off.

I'm sure it's because all of this time I've been in deep denial that Charles is even growing up. All this while, we worry about Nick and cater to his every little whim - of which there are many - and all this while my Charles has been secretly growing up - wiggling those teeth.

Well - have a look for yourself. Such a big, small boy. Good thing he's still a royal pain in the @## or I might cry every day just because I love him so much.

No comments: