Dante Lost His First Tooth

When I picked Dante up from school today, the first thing he said was, "Mom! Guess what! I lost my tooth!" He has been working on that tooth for a few days, but not for long. He said that he was wiggling it with his upper tooth when it just popped out. He was very excited, and not scared at all.

I managed to make it to the bank before closing time to get some Sacagawea coins. Now I am feeling guilty about lying to my child about the Tooth Fairy. It wouldn't be a big deal if I just said to leave his tooth under his pillow for the tooth fairy, and she would come take his tooth and leave some money, and he gets excited and leave it at that. But he has all of these detailed questions to ask--is the Tooth Fairy a boat (fairy/ferry, get it? It took me a minute.), is it a he or a she, is she big or little, does he have to sleep in his bed for her to find the tooth, and on and on and on. So I'm having to get more and more elaborate. I guess it's typical with kids his age. It's not something we've ever really talked about before.

I believed in the tooth fairy as a kid, and then I learned the truth, and I was just fine, no lasting damage done, and it was a fun exciting thing, as well as the Easter Bunny and Santa. Are my children going to have trust issues with me when they learn the truth? Am I teaching them to look for the wrong things in life? Or am I passing on traditions that I enjoyed as a child, traditions that will give my kids some things to look forward to throughout the year while getting us through the difficult times? The Tooth Fairy also probably helps young children to look forward to and enjoy a growing experience in their lives that would normally be frightening.

I never thought that the Tooth Fairy would cause such guilt and deep reflections. After considering it, I think that this little dentist is probably a harmless tradition, and that it won't hurt to have some fun with it. It just makes me uncomfortable to present such an erroneous lie as truth to my children.

However, Dante did a fabulous job working out this tooth, and he is looking forward to the next one.

My Kids Are Cute

I just have to say that.

Constance cut the bottom of her foot. She was sitting on the floor in the kitchen, waiting for bandaids and moaning. Emily wandered over, sat down by Constance, grabbed her ankles, and started moaning. I can't believe some of the things she does. She loves to help put away dishes. She'll grab some silverware and put them in the drawer, standing on her tip-toes to reach. Or she'll grab a bowl or a cup and throw it (yes, actually throw it) into the cupboard where it goes. Of course, she gets a little too helpful when she starts putting away the dirty dishes. She tests her limits, too. She like to climb on the chairs, and I have found her more than once on the table picking at my flowers or playing in someone's food. She also learned how to lie accross the gap between the couch and the coffee table. I have a hard time finding towels, because she'll take them. She loves to play peek-a-boo and to say "uh-oh."

Dante is such a mother hen. I assume it's like this with any oldest, especially when the father isn't around much, but Dante seems to feel obligated to keep the other kids in line. Of course it can get exasperating, but I appreciate the care that it shows. He is such a big help around the house, doing dishes, getting clothes for the girls, cleaning up, and even folding laundry. He gets frustrated helping out sometimes, but I'm trying to teach him that everyone pitches in, even Emily. He loves making Emily laugh, playing peek-a-boo, and getting her to say "uh-oh." He also got her undressed yesterday, and he seemed pretty pleased with himself. I'm a little concerned with his school. He says that he wants to go to school, yet it seems like every time I ask him how school was, he says, "Not very fun" and tells me about how he got in trouble or something. I think he likes school mostly for friends and doesn't want to leave them. I am going to try to start getting him involved in a homeschool group, getting to know homeschooling kids, so that by next school year he will be friends with some of them. That way we can make the transition back to homeschool easier.

I feel so sorry for my little Constance. She plays so well by herself that I tend to ignore her, or I am getting after her for screaming while she's playing with others. She can be so peculiar. Whe we were in Kent, she always wanted the door closed at bed time. Now, she always wants it open. I'm pretty sure that she only wanted it closed before because Dante wanted it open :) If she gets hurt, she says, "I be okay." If someone else gets hurt, she says, "You be okay." When I give her kisses at night, she gives me a great big smacker right on the lips. Either that, or she'll kiss my eyes and nose. She likes to sing the Dora song when we're going somewhere--"Come on now, vamanos! Everybody. Let's go! Come on now let's get to it. I know that we can do it! Where are we going? (Insert destination) Where are we going? (Insert destination)" and so on and so forth. Her favorite toys are her little Dora that she got for Christmas and a little stuffed dog that she got for her "birthday" last November. She is always talking about her dog, and people get confused. "You have a dog?" they say. The kind that I like the best, at least for now!

I just really like my kids! And I know that everyone else must like them, too. I think, "If anyone just meets my kids, they're bound to love them instantaneously!" They've got to!

Our New Home

Here we are in our new home. The last few months have been crazy and fun and stressful, but we all knew that it was time for the Pimental clan to get a home of our own. So after much searching and prayer and heart-softening and help from family and friends, we finally landed in Richland, Wa. This home of ours is a three level duplex just a couple blocks from Dante's school. Dante is very excited about the three levels. It has a nice little fenced yard for playing, and there is a park just a block away. We also have loads of space--two bathrooms, four bedrooms, two storage rooms plus a shed, and even a laundry room and a rec/TV room. It is also very nice to be close to Grandma and Grandpa, as well as other family and friends. We are loving it and hope to be here for a long time.

Dante's new teacher is great. He seems to be doing work at a higher level than in Kent. He already has friends, of course. The weather finally cleared up in the last few days, and we have brought out the bikes. It has been fun to ride them to take Dante to school. Dante and Mom have also started a very difficult puzzle, which we work on after the girls have gone to bed. It has been a good bonding time for us.

It looks as if Constance may finally be potty trained. She is becoming more and more independent, getting herself dressed, buckling herself into her carseat, pouring her drinks. It makes me smile--and growl when I'm in a hurry. I know that this is an important step in her development, though. Constance has also gained a desire to cook. She helped make scrambled eggs the other day and did most of it by herself. She gets frustrated playing with others, but she plays so well by herself. She has such an imagination! And I'll ask her to help do something, like clean up or empty the dishwasher, and she says, "No, thanks!" Constance is always asking to go to Grandma and Grandpa's house. It almost drives me crazy, except that she is such a happy, funny girl.

Emily keeps going a mile a minute. She loves the stairs and is great at getting up and down them, though she seems to get frustrated sometimes at being left behind. She can sign "more" and "please" and nods her head for yes. She usually doesn't have any trouble communicating what she wants. She is such a helper, too! She likes to help put dishes away and hand me hangers and clean up. She actually helps more than Constance does! Emily also got in her third tooth, with the fourth (and probably more) shortly behind.

So we are all getting settled in and meeting new people. It's a bit exhausting having to drag all three kids around with me anywhere I have to go, such as dropping Dante off at school or choir practice or midnight runs to the store for coughing medicine. It has been a good bonding time for all of us, though, and I think this will be good for us.