catch a fairy by the wing?

it's like catching a tiger by the toe.....yanno.

thursday night, ashlyn lost her second tooth and it went a little something like this.....

on the dinner menu......cajun chicken (click here for the recipe), corn on the cob and the ever-so-delicious sausage and wild-rice casserole. there was a last minute call, which i'm known for, to grams and papa at the end of the work day to invite them over for dinner. and it was a date. the rice casserole was enough to twist grams' arm. it's her recipe and it is mouth watering.

we're sitting, more like squished, around the table---6 of us at a 4 seat table--enjoying dinner, catching up on what's happened since we were together last friday at the ballgame. and me not laughing so much at doug's sometimes ill sense of humor.

anywho. dad was teasing ashlyn about how he didn't want to see her tooth come out and cringing while watching her wiggle it. all for the sake of seeing how brave she would be and if she'd actually pull it out just to bug him. it really didn't bother him, but that's the way dad works. all lighthearted teasing and fun.

and by golly, she was determined to get papa to stop teasing and show him up. all the while, she was grimicing at the thought of yanking the tooth, that was hanging by a thread anyway. she hates to see blood and it really sends her into a tailspin. but this time, meltdown was diverted. she's growing up and growing out of----or learning to adapt better--to her sensory shortfalls.

or maybe it is just because she remembered doug telling her earlier in the week that next time she loses a tooth, if she can catch the tooth fairy by the wing then she can make any wish she wants. you should have seen her face light up. she was sooooo delighted to even think that such a thing was possible. doug sees things like this as just a fun part of childhood, me, not so much. i see it as more of......oh, boy.......here we go again---another meltdown i'm going to have to deal with when she sleeps through the tooth fairy visiting and wakes up realizing that she missed the chance. *sigh* oh how i long to be the fun parent.

so, over the next few days, she was scheming of ways that she could fake out the fairy that she was sleeping---because fairies only visit sleeping children---and still be fast enough to catch it so she'd get a wish. "i know, i know.......i could just pretend i'm asleep and snoring and then jump up real fast....." "oooooh, i know.....daddy, could you help me? could you make a bed in my closet and stay up all night waiting for the fairy to come?" and on and on her imagination went.

then the excitement changed to her dreams and what she'd really wish for if she could actually catch the fairy by the wing. she wants to wish that everything that she draws will come to life and be real. super.

now that she's yanked out the tooth, she's gearing up for the night and bouncing all over the place to put her plan into action and catch that fairy. then doug says........"not tonight, because i have to work tomorrow......but i can stay up all night friday night. you just have to wait one night to put that tooth under your pillow." she was fine with that.

we tuck her into bed and she comes down minutes later, head hung low saying she couldn't wait one more night. getting dollars won out over making a wish. she has grand plans of "waiting until on of my big tooths falls out because then i'll get LOTS of money ANNNNNNND i can catch the fairy and make one wish."

and that's exactly how it happened.......pretty much.