On the 10th of March, 2006 while we were away in Canberra for the weekend, Lewi discovered he had his first wobbly tooth (actually, teeth - two at the bottom). On arriving back home we began reading a beautiful book I’d bought ages ago (for the special moment) called Dear Tooth Fairy. It’s a letter style book and is filled with tiny letters from the Tooth Fairy to the character in the story (Holly). It really brought alive the idea of faries and the magic of losing a tooth. Each day Lewi checked his wobbly tooth to see if it might just be ready to fall out. The wait for the Tooth Fairy would be a long one…

It was Easter Monday and the wobbly tooth remained intact. We had family and friends over for an alfresco lunch on the verandah. After a feast of home made pizzas Lewi decided to bring out some easter eggs to share. He unwrapped his easter bunny and chomped down on its ear. Ouch! Tears welled up in Lewi’s little eyes as he gripped at his mouth. His tooth had come out!

There was a bit more blood than we had predicted and a bit of pain - not what Lewi had planned would happen. He was overwhelmed by it all and in shock to see that there was quite a hole left where the tooth had been. Everyone at the table helped console him and let him know their own stories of when they lost teeth.

Eventually he got used to the idea but some concerns remained, the main one being that he was worried it had broken off instead of fallen out. By night fall, and after more discussion, we re-read Dear Tooth Fairy and Lewi planned what he was going to do with his tooth. He put it on a tissue and into a match box. He then slipped it under his pillow and fell asleep in await for the morning.

When Lewi awoke the next morning he was over the moon. The Tooth Fairy certainly had come, taken his tooth and left a letter, a gold coin (inflation!) and lots of fairy dust. He wanted to write straight back to the Tooth Fairy to thank her and ask her a few questions (just like Holly did!). We talked and talked about it all that next day and since then have enjoyed discussing it with little friends who haven’t yet lost a tooth and others who have. Two little friends, twins - Bejamin and Lennart also lost the same tooth (only a little while before Lewi) so it’s been lovely to see three toothless boys smiling away together and discussing their teeth.

It was interesting though that the most wobbly one was not the one to fall out. We think the lost one must have really been bitten on hard! The remaining wobbly one is still with us - determined to remain in place. It’s now the middle of May…when, oh when will it fall out? We wait with excitement.