Enthusiastic Mommyhood and Imaginary Home Intruders

Isaiah has lost his first two teeth... And the other two in the front are about to come out as well.. (I think he's going to be lisping for quite a while!) The first he lost about a week ago, and the second yesterday.. But apparently our tooth fairy is either a slacker or broke, because as of yet we've seen nada..... O.k, So really what's going on is that I AM a major slacker when it comes to Santa, reindeers, Easter egg hunts and now tooth fairies as well... I don't know what it is... I think I just have an abnormal lack of enthusiasm and imaginary play skills... But, the questions always come - "Sooooo, is Santa coming to your house this year?" and "When are you going to have your Easter egg hunt, kids?" And so, having entered the season of mom-with-kids-with-teeth- falling-out, the inevitable has happened... "How much did the Tooth Fairy leave for you?" and "WOW.. two teeth?? You must be making the big bucks.." And, as usual, my kids stare with blank faces, trying to figure out what in the world this person is talking about.. (O.k.- it's not really THAT bad.. They have learned to smile and laugh uncomfortably as they look to me to give the person an answer..) :)

All that said, in the past year or so, I have searched into the depths of my soul looking for some creative and childlike excitement to offer to my kids so that they too can have the thrill of random imaginary beings entering their homes while they sleep to leave money, candy and gifts... So, the plan WAS to do the whole Tooth Fairy thing and give the kid some money.. But I forgot! And then forgot again, and again and again! Finally, a week later when he lost his second tooth at Grandma and Grandpas, (during their "nap" where the kids were all "asleep" in the same room and Caleb starts calling "Isaiah's bleeding!" and upon entering the room I find out that somehow Abigail "made it come out." Yeah, not too sure how that all played out, but ANYWAY....) Grandma hands me some money to go put under his pillow. I fessed up to the fact that I still hadn't "paid" him for his first tooth and promised to do it for both teeth that night. We get home and I get the kids in bed and sure enough, I forget again.. So, pretty desperate at this point to be the fun, enthusiastic mommy, I try to wake Isaiah up to tell him that we have to put his teeth under his pillow. There I am, 11pm at night, in some Twister game-like pose trying to straddle four little kids' bodies sprawled out all over the boys' floor, (it's "Sleeping bag Friday") shaking, tapping, rolling, pulling, and talking (not quietly) to Isaiah, trying to wake him up! I keep saying (in my most enthusiastic-Mommy voice) "We need to put your teeth under your pillow... OK??... Isaiah, remember?? We forgot... OK?? Let's put them under your pillow.." the kid was in the deepest sleep I have ever seen.. There was no way he was waking up or even close to conscious enough to remember putting them under there. And that's half of the whole deal, right?? That's half of the fun - putting your tooth under there and falling asleep, anticipating some creepy guy with wings sneaking into your room, fumbling around under your pillow trying to find it, and then leaving some pocket change for you.... Right?? So, one more night has gone by and still no Tooth Fairy... Maybe tonight...

**update: Isaiah lost his 3rd tooth at breakfast the morning after I wrote this! The top right should be out by the end of the week! :)**