It was a typical Wednesday night...

I'm sitting here at my desk chuckling and I cannot stop. Every few minutes the mental image of what I witnessed last night flashes in front of my eyes, blocks the dual monitors I work from and makes me giggle out loud.

It was a typical Wednesday night, I was on my own for bedtime as Sean has committee meetings. I was dragging myself through the motions, checking the clock and wondering if it was acceptable for me to go to bed at 8:15.

It's no secret that Alex has what we call, 'emotions'. She's got a temper and at times we find ourselves leaving a room to let her work out her frustrations, to scream ridiculously, or pitch whatever fit she feels necessary to deal with her baggy pant leg, her itchy shirt, or the fact that she left her 'shiny' (sleep blanket) down in the laundry room.

It was one of those nights, emotions mixed with a dose of crazy from some early Easter Candy had her bouncing around on her bed as I tried to tuck her in. I gave up, told her I'd come back in a few minutes after she calmed down and headed to the storage closet to pull out the easter basket she needed for school the next day.

It was when I was deep in the closet and had crawled over suitcases, wrapping paper containers and several bins of tiny baby clothes that I heard the screaming. It was a blood curdling scream which is not unusual when she is REALLY MAD at her untied shoelace or otherwise so I didn't panic.

I took my time gathering what I needed, I even took a few seconds to scoot the suitcases out of the way and slowly crawled out wondering if we ever move out of this house if I could just leave all this stuff here.

The screams continued and I leisurely walked down the hall, head back, eyes rolling wondering if I was ever going to be able to sit down in peace this evening.

I turned the corner into her room and had to stifle with EVERY bit of strength I had from laughing out loud as I found Alex dangling upside down from the foot board of her bed. Her feet were in the air, she was hanging by one arm grasping onto her antique iron bed frame with a look of fear on her face that SHE JUST MIGHT FALL 4 INCHES TO THE FLOOR was priceless.

I lifted her up and asked what happened and she frantically told me her tale that she wasn't jumping around crazily but organizing her pillows. And she somehow, rather than flinging herself off the bed, was SHOT off the bed by the force of nature that is her 'shiny' as she tried to cover herself with it. I nodded, told her I was sorry for what happened and covered her up and left the room and laughed and I have not stopped.

For all the drama we deal with as parents, and for the long nights trying to get them into bed I've learned that sometimes we are returned with just a tiny karmic gift. And next time I find myself exhausted, and frustrated because she has to go to the bathroom for the 3rd time, or needs another drink of water, I am going to remember this moment of her dangling, panic stricken, upside down, by one arm, looking at me as if I am the one person that can save her from death and I'll get through it.

The Tooth Fairy paid us a visit...

Yesterday morning on the way to work, I missed a phone call. Whether I was still half asleep or the radio was so loud I didn't hear it, it wasn't until I pulled into the parking lot at work that I saw 'missed call - home'.

Of course I panic, I wonder if I forgot something like my computer which I frequently do. Or maybe, one of the kids is sick and Sean needs me to turn around and come home, or maybe Alex's library book is missing and she won't go to the bus until she finds it.

Not this time. When I called back, Alex answered.

"Hi Mom, I lost my tooth"

I grinned ear to ear and cried a little. My baby girl lost her first tooth. I mean, it's no surprise the thing has been dangling by a thread for days but somehow that didn't make it any easier. It's a milestone I'll never get back with her, her smile will never be the same. Her tiny little straight teeth no longer. And again, like many of her firsts, I missed it.

I'm not gonna lie, I'm also afraid. Very afraid. Afraid, that what will come in from beneath her cute little baby teeth will be something similar to mine. Large, crooked, and bucked teeth that took years and years of my parents time and hard earned money to give me the straight toothed smile I have today. We've started college funds for the kids, but not until today did I think we maybe should have started braces funds as well.

As a result, last night was my first chance to play 'tooth fairy'. I took it very seriously. I made a special trip to the coffee cart in my building to break a $10 bill. After the kids went to bed I wrote out on special paper a note from the tooth fairy complete with scalloped cut edges, and a fairy sticker. After a lengthy argument with Sean regarding the $5 (he wanted to trade it out with a buck and I sternly objected and argued that inflation is real and and important consideration) I placed the note with the $5 bill under my sleeping princesses pillow and tip toed out.

This morning she came running into our room to say, "Mom, the tooth fairy came. She used my craft paper and my special scissors and stole one of my stickers. Are you sure she didn't get the $5 out of your purse?"

And like so many things I try so hard to do 110%, I may have blown the tooth fairy's cover on the first lost tooth of my first born child.