A few weeks ago, Big E came rushing up to me to tell me that one of his teeth was loose. Upon closer examination it was confirmed. Sure enough, one of his bottom teeth was wiggly.

One morning last week he had a perplexed look on his face. “Mommy? Didn’t I lose my tooth yesterday? I don’t understand. It’s still there.”

“Maybe you had a dream you lost your tooth.” I replied.

“Yes! I had a dream. I lost my tooth and I showed it to you and you put it in a bag on the counter.”

Since that morning I’ve noticed him playing with his teeth more.

This afternoon he came running into the classroom where I was working. “I lost my tooth!!!” I turned to see him sporting a huge, gapped grin with a streak of blood along his cheek. In his hand was a small tooth. “It only stung a little. I didn’t hurt as bad as I thought it would. I pushed it over too far and it popped.” The words jumbled out in his excitement.

A few minutes later he let me put it in a baggie and label it. This evening he put it under his pillow for the Tooth Fairy to find. (My kids have never believed in the tooth fairy, but I always make a charade of it when they lose a tooth.) I’ve already snuck in and swapped out his tooth for a dollar. The bag is resting now in the drawer beside my bed.

When did my Handsome Pants get so big? How did that happen so quickly? I already miss his perfect baby smile, but I’m happy for him and his exciting new milestone!