Milestones

Sallie lost her first tooth last Thursday night. Just in time for show and tell on Friday. She had been working on it for quite a while, but, since the permanent tooth was growing in behind her baby tooth, it didn't seem to be loosening enough to actually fall out on its own. Trent worked on it Thursday night, and then told me that I'd have to call the dentist. It just wasn't going to get any looser on its own. "Ugh," I thought, "another doctor's appointment." But, as I was reading a book to the girls at bedtime (The Night Before Christmas, to be exact), Sallie said suddenly, "Mom--my tooth." And there it was in her hand.

I have to admit that, while I'm fine with cuts and blood and gore, loose teeth make me queasy. I was so relieved that it came out so peacefully on its own. It didn't even bleed.

I can't remember what prompted me to first say it, but a few years ago, when Sallie did or said something that made me realize that her babyhood was slipping away (like maybe outgrowing her clothing size, as she's so tall (like her namesake!) that she's currently wearing a 7-8 even though she's only almost-6), I said to her quite spontaneously, "Don't you go growing up on me!" She laughed, and so I obliged her by saying it more often. By the time she was three-and-a-half, whenever I said it to her, she responded, "aww, but, Mom, I have to--so that I can be a Mommy to my own kids!" Which made me laugh.

I know that all stages of childhood have their own blessings and their own challenges, but, for some reason, I really love that nostalgic sense of not wanting to lose a single endearing moment.

Let's see..three girls..20 baby teeth each, one baby tooth down...59 nostalgic moments to go.