Spoiler alert! Dekker lost another tooth!
Information about me. I hated losing teeth. Part of it was just the general discomfort and pain that came with it. Part of it was the interim where it would wiggle and make gross crackly sounds. Part of it was that my mouth was too small for my face, resulting in me having to go have teeth pulled a couple of times growing up. I still remember how it felt when the dentist grabbed a molar are *shiver* loosened it. SO gross. I was NOT into the whole “losing teeth” thing. Not at all.
Dekker has lost four already, so I’m not new to it, but I’ve never participated in the extraction part. One Brady pulled, one came out in a cinnamon bun, and I think he pulled the others. And you’d better believe, every time, I give him a solid attaboy and examine the lone tooth, and the hole it left behind, as if I’ve never seen such an amazing thing before! But I’m not going near the part with the pulling.
Dekker noticed a loose tooth a couple of days ago. He showed me how far it could wiggle with great enthusiasm. I exclaimed along with him, how close it was to falling out and how great that would be. I promised him I wouldn’t send him an apple to school. That was really it.
Last Thursday, Jerilee was over for the evening. We were hanging out in the kitchen, waiting for our supper to finish up, when Dekker emerged from his bedroom. Now we’ve been having some annoying issues recently with our kids getting up after bedtime way more than is reasonable. But its never Dekker. I greeted him and asked what he needed.
He went on to tell me his tooth was really bothering him and seemed like it might come out. He looked at me for help. I stared back at that face, not willing to help him, haha! Ok ok, I was willing, but not excited. I asked him if he wanted me to pull it. He hesitated. Perfect. I asked him if he wanted to try and pull it himself, and he said he’d try. I gave him a Kleenex, and he just went for it, yanking that tooth forward and back, over and over, no holding back. Jerilee and I watched him, both fully nervous and a smidge grossed out, haha! After a minute, he checked his Kleenex, and there was some blood on it. To my surprise, he didn’t get upset, but commented that it looked like something was happening.
It was around that time that supper finished up, so after checking that Jerilee was game, I invited Dekker to hang out with us while we ate, and he could work on his tooth. He accepted, and sat on the ottoman in the living room, wiggling that tooth. He only sat with us for a few minutes before he gave up. He grabbed an extra Kleenex, just in case, and headed to bed. I know for a fact he was asleep within minutes, haha! So it was TIME!
Aaaaanyway, that brings us to Saturday, when it finally came out! Brady was brushing everyone’s teeth before bed. Dekker and Laela brush their own teeth usually, but we do them once in a while to make sure they’re being thorough. While Dekker was having his teeth brushed, he emitted a little “ouch!” Brady asked if he was ok, and he was, so he continued. Towards the end, Brady asked Dekker to smile big so he could give the fronts of his teeth one final scrub, and Dekker stuck his tongue through his teeth and spat out the tooth!!!!
He was AMPED!
I know it seems like a small thing, but my little Dekker Thomas has spent a lot of time being afraid, or at least cautious. I love how strangely brave he is with teeth! I thought teeth falling out would leave him feeling like his world was ending, and he has pleasantly surprised me by being excited about it! I think it leaves him feeling really mature 🙂
Way to be brave, Dekker! You’re a tougher cookie than your mom!