Ryan Got a Haircut!

Ryan's Hair Before - check out that sweet curl!

A bird? A plane?

No more curl . . . such a grown up boy!

The First Tooth

The other day when I went to pick up Emmy from school, I was so pleased to see her run to me with a great big grin on her face. "Wow," I thought, "how cute that she is so happy to see me!" It turns out her excitement was not just about me, but about the news she had to share. She had pulled out her first tooth! What a big day in the life of a first grader.

Almost two months ago, we were visiting my parents in Cincinnati. Emmy and Sophie were wrestling around, and somehow in the fray, Emmy came out with her first loose tooth. Her sadness at being hurt quickly turned in to excitement that she had a loose tooth. She even thanked Sophie. During the same week, I was putting Ryan's pyjamas on and Emmy bent in to give him a goodnight kiss. At the very moment she leaned in, he lunged forward -- knocking her so hard in the mouth that he came away with tooth marks in his forehead. Blood gushed from Emmy's mouth and she screamed. One of her front teeth had indeed been knocked loose, before it was really ready. That night and the following day were quite dramatic. She could not fall asleep for fear that she might lose the tooth. She continually needed ice to soothe her sore gums. Sophie, the sidekick, was full of as much awe and sympathy as a little sister can have. The next day Emmy ate soft foods and spoke without moving her lips for fear of putting undo pressure on the tooth. What an event. 

Thankfully, the front tooth firmed up a bit and the bottom tooth became the perfect tooth to wiggle and wiggle. As the weeks went by, the tooth became more wiggly, and Emmy informed us that she and her friend, Will, were the only kids in her class to have not lost any teeth. And so it makes sense that Emmy would lose her tooth at school. To join the ranks of gaping smiles, to grant friends the privilege of holding and inspecting the tiny tooth, to make a special trip to the office to clean out a bloody mouth, and to accept the praise and congratulations of her classmates -- for an afternoon, she was a six-year-old celebrity. What fun. 

The tooth in it's little box under the pillow -- a gift from Nannie and Opa

The last time we will see Emmy with all of her baby teeth (sniff!)

So excited to go to sleep

Emmy's letter to the Tooth Fairy: 

Dear Tooth Fairy, Are fairies real? Why do some kids sometimes get to keep their teeth and sometimes not? Can I keep my tooth? Why do we not get toys or art? What do you do with the teeth? How do you get in our house? Thank you Tooth Fairy. 

 Love, Emmy. 

Emmy's letter from the Tooth Fairy (written in very tiny handwriting, which she brought to school to show her friends): 

Dear Emmy, Thank you kindly for your lovely letter! Let me answer your questions. First of all, we tooth fairies give money because it is easier to carry than toys or art! Sometimes we fairies keep the teeth to make fairy dust or to build tiny fairy furniture. Teeth also make great musical instruments! Right now, I don't need any teeth, so I will let you keep yours -- especially since it is your first one! I cannot tell you exactly how I get into your house because it is quite magical. I can only tell you that fairies know how to squeeze into very small spaces! Finally, you asked if fairies are real. Well of course I think so, because I am one! Fairies are real to those who believe in them! I hope you save your money for something special! 

 Love, Your Tooth Fairy

A Happy New Year

I hope it has been a happy new year for all of you! We kicked things off with a family dance party on New Year's Eve. The kids got to watch a youtube video of the ball dropping last year and drink sparkling cider and were in bed by 7:45. Then Matt and I ordered pizza, ate ice cream, and watched T.V. All in all, it was a great way to start the New Year.