A Loose Tooth

Mason was about eight months old when his first tooth FINALLY popped through his gums. At four months old, he was drooling all over everything and chewing on his hands like they were laced in sugar. Everyone said, "He has to be teething!" Being a first time mother, I thought that meant he would actually cut a tooth sometime very soon. We waited through four months of "teething" until that tooth finally showed. 

I remember my joy when he hit all of those exciting milestones...his first smile...the day he rolled over for the first time...his first birthday...when he started walking...potty training...his first day of kindergarten. Today, Mason excitedly came to me with another milestone...his very first loose tooth. It is legitimately loose, too. At our last visit to the dentist, he told Mason he had a few teeth a little loose. But this is an ACTUAL loose tooth that feels like it will ACTUALLY fall out of his mouth very soon. And he will look at me with that goofy toothless grin. And he will keep loosing teeth and he will keep growing up. 

Mason is an incredible kid. He is insightful and level-headed. He reads to his sister and plays with his brother and leaves notes on my pillow. When I see him working to figure something out, I think this must be what my husband was like when he was six. They are so much alike. 

He is so tall now and I can barely pick him up anymore. When he crawls onto my lap, I enjoy every moment he sits there because I know this won't last forever. When did this happen? When did he get old enough to lose a tooth? 

Seeing my child's joy at this new experience filled me with excitement--true and real joy at this new stage in his life. This made me think of all the new experiences to come with all three of my children. How blessed I feel to be a part of this journey with them. This realization made me think of my own parents, and how they must have felt at all of those milestones--first tooth, first loose tooth, graduation, marriage...and most recently, watching each of their children become parents. It makes me understand their love for my brother and me that much more. It's amazing the perspective you get on your own parents when you become a parent. 

And so here we are, excitedly awaiting for that first tooth to come out...another beautiful milestone on this beautiful journey.