Waiting for the Tooth Fairy

Oh, don't get the wrong idea, Eli hasn't lost any teeth yet, that's not the Tooth Fairy I was referring to. I was referring to the one that we've been patiently waiting for since Victoria hit five months; the one that will bring Vicky her first pearly white.

She is now 10 months old and there's nothing. I have been obsessing over this for quite some time now; five years more or less, since Elizabeth was a few months old. You see, Eli was quick with everything. She learned how to talk when she was still tiny; she walked before she was one year old, skipping the crawling stage completely; potty trained by 18 months -please believe me, it's true- and the list goes on. It's not that I'm bragging, these are just the facts (ok, maybe I'm bragging a little bit)...But when her first tooth came in at almost 10 months old, I freaked and thought something must be wrong. The doctor said it was normal and when the rest of her teeth started to come one after the other in a matter of weeks, I made peace with the Tooth Fairy.

Sort of.

When Victoria was born, I secretly hoped that her teeth would come in earlier than Eli's and while I was sure I was keeping my tooth anxiety under control, my husband has assured me that is not the case at all. What I thought was "secretly hoping" is actually very obvious to everyone. Rubbing my daughter's gums looking for teeth has become one of my top priorities and every time I see a little drool, I proudly exclaim "her teeth are coming in!"... Well, Victoria is now a few days over 10 months and trust me when I say that her teeth are no where in sight.

All children are different, or so the baby books and magazines say. So I shouldn't worry, she is doing great in all other areas and is a healthy and happy baby...But...

Yes, a mother always wishes something greater and better for her children. I have to admit that I am being selfish, though. I'm sure that I am the only person in the world so desperate to see her teeth come in. Victoria has no idea that she's even supposed to have them, and the reason I know this is because she can turn any food she puts in her mouth to mush with her gums and not much effort, and she doesn't seem to be thinking, "if only I had teeth...". Also, because when she smiles or laughs, there's not a bit of self-consciousness implying that her gummy grin bothers her.

So now I'm feeling guilty about my obsession. And I at this very moment I vow to stop wishing for teeth, or anything else for that matter. I will follow my husband's very wise example of just enjoying my children the way the are, every minute that I am with them. He often reminds me that Eli stopped being a baby before we knew it and we probably missed a lot of her baby moments while thinking about what was coming next. Maybe it's a mistake that most first-time parents make. But he has learned a lesson and is now embracing every little bit of our daughter's lives as they come, no worries about the future. Doesn't that seem smart and sensible to you? It does to me.

Watching Victoria smile melts my heart and brightens my life because, teeth or no teeth, her smile will always be sincere. She doesn't just smile with her mouth, her eyes are also smiling, her whole face lights up. It tells me that she loves me just the way I am and is not waiting for me to change. Once again my daughters (and husband) teach me something that is priceless.