Daddy to The Rescue

This is a tribute to my husband and loving father to my 3 kids.  This is an honest to goodness true story.  It happened to me (us) this morning.

I was getting ready for the day, I could hear the kids downstairs eating their breakfast and getting their day started, everything seemed to be going smooth…until... I heard the very distinct sound of one of them crying.  I could tell it was my daughter without even seeing that it was her.

Moments later, she appears in my doorway, crying, blood dripping from her mouth.  She had a loose tooth.   So loose, that it is ready to come out.  She was sobbing at this point, probably reacting to my facial expression.  Loose teeth are not my thing.  I can be a good tooth fairy, explain to my kids why teeth need to fall out, help brush them (when they are in the mouth) - But show me a loose tooth and I’ll turn various shades of white…Especially when they are turned sideways and go almost horizontal. 

She begins to inform me that she couldn’t go to school like this – and for those of you who don’t know her, losing a tooth for my daughter is an all day ordeal.  We’ve been lucky so far, these types of days have so far landed on a weekend.  She sits in her room and cries about the impending tooth falling out.  As soon as it’s out, she can move on with her day – but truth be told, some have lasted an entire day.  But today was different, today is a school day and she didn’t want to miss out on learning (I kid you not).  So it (the tooth) needs to come out ASAP!  I come to this realization, and my stomach turns.  I knew she was going to ask to unthinkable - Mom needs to pull this one out. (…or do I)

She gives me some tissue and I try to pull. Trying to stay strong, I gave it tug - I have to say I didn’t pull as hard as I could.  I was afraid if I heard or felt that all too familiar pop sound, I may have thrown up.  I tried again, and again.  After the 4^th try, she falls on the floor saying “only Daddy can do it, and he’s gone!”

At this point I run to the phone.  My husband works about a ½ hour drive away from home.  I looked at the clock, he would be almost there.  But I have nothing to lose at this point, right?  I give him a call and hope for the best.  He gets on the phone and I tell him what has happened so far.  He asked to talk to our daughter.  Now I have to tell you, my husband is not the kind of person who would normally turn around and come home.  He would usually try and convince me that this can be taken care of at the end of the day.  I only hear my daughter’s side on the conversation.  It’s full of, ‘Yes Daddy’, and ‘Oh Yeah Daddy’ and ‘Ok Daddy’.  She gives the phone to me and all I hear from him is ‘See you in 15 minutes’.

My husband comes home.  Well it actually looks like he is flying in with his cape waving behind him – superhero like.  With a tissue in hand and his little girl on the chair, out comes this tooth and a smile returns to her little face.

As he turns around to leave she runs up to him and gives him a huge hug - but not too long because our Super Hero needs to get to work and our daughter is already distracted with other thoughts...Like how much $ the tooth fairy is going to leaver her tonight.