It's Out!

Dear Lila,

Your front baby tooth had been loose for a long time. And I mean seriously long--it had been wiggling for over a month! I told you to jiggle it with your tongue, I gave you apples and carrot sticks to eat all of the time, I tried brushing it a little harder . . . it was so stubborn and wouldn't come out and you gasped in pain whenever I tried to touch it. Your baby tooth took so long to come out that your permanent tooth actually started growing in behind it; I didn't even know that could happen!

But finally, finally, when I was flossing your teeth tonight, the loose baby tooth popped out right into my hand (and it had a longer-than-usual jagged piece at the bottom, which is why it had been so anchored in your gum). The funniest part? You didn't realize what had happened, not even when you looked in the mirror! You tasted some blood and rinsed your mouth a few times and then looked in the mirror. I was waiting for you to gasp at the finally freed baby tooth but because the permanent tooth is already growing in that space (albeit set back further), you thought that was your baby tooth. You didn't know you had lost your tooth until I opened my hand and you saw it in the middle of my palm!

But whew, it's out and you can finally go back to eating the normal way instead of awkwardly gnawing your food near the sides of your mouth!

Love,
Mom