An Alarming Amount of Blood

Deb asked me if I was interested in seeing her wiggle Allie's tooth around in an effort to free it. I was in the bedroom watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition. I was torn. Should I see the makover family's new Kenmore appliances from Sears or witness a major milestone in my daughter's physical development?

I kept watching TV.

After a while I heard sounds of minor torture coming from the kids' bathroom so I had to check it out. I half expected to see Debbie hovering over Allie asking her, "Is it safe?" Instead I found them both just staring at Allie's loose tooth in the mirror.

Rather than just look at the thing I decided to see just how loose the tooth was. I wiggled it. I could feel it loosely squish around in her gum. I gave it a firm tug and felt a piece of whatever flesh was left tethering the tooth give way. I knew it would only take one or two more good wiggles. I moved the tooth back and forth then left to right. The left to right movement resulted in more significant tearing. In fact I felt the last bit of tissue give away with a silent snap and the tooth was out.

I looked at the little red hole the tooth came out of and it began to pool with blood. A lot of blood. I think Allie saw the look on my face and started to panic a little. I stuffed the little, bloody hole with tissue. The blood kept coming. I'd take the tissue away and the hole would immediately gush red. By now, her mouth was awash in blood and Allie could see it in the mirror.

Not good.

Deb gave her a Dixie Cup full of water. Allie took a drink and noticed the water turned pink. Finally I told the hemorrhaging girl to close her mouth and swallow the blood. She did. That was the beginning of the end of the bleeding.

Deb and I made a big deal out of the event. Truth is, it was a big deal for all of us. As I listened to Allie call her Grandparents and tell them (in exhaustive detail) about her tooth shedding I got sad. That sadness carried over into the morning. At work I sat at my desk and thought about when I had to be careful of the ceiling when I tossed Allie into the air. Now I have to be careful I don't tear a tendon when I throw her around.

As I mentioned to Debbie earlier in the day; I know we're gaining something wonderful each time we leave one of Allie's youthful personas behind. That doesn't help much with the lump in my throat I get when thinking about this particular milestone.

In just 31 weeks, Allie starts Kindergarten.

If I think things are bad now, in 31 weeks the freakin' lump is probably going kill me.

So what's the going rate for a first tooth these days?

Deb looked around the house and came up with two Sacagawea golden dollar coins plus Allie got to keep her tooth. Turns out the first one is a special tooth or so says Deb, the Tooth Fairy's Official Spokesperson.

I'm pretty sure she's right.