Tooth Fairy Tales

What's with the Tooth Fairy and where did she come from? I remember the thrill of finding a quarter under my pillow in the morning and could never figure out how she did it without disrupting my sleep. We've allowed the Tooth Fairy into our home to carry on the traditions of our childhood. The Tooth Fairy now has it easy, at least at our house, since Jacob has a little bear that holds a "tooth" pillow which Grammy got for him before he ever lost his first tooth. It's been quite convenient for tooth collecting/money leaving and teeth are now worth $1.00. Heaven knows how may teeth and dollar bills would have been lost in his bed full of pillows and stuffed animals without that little bear.

Since living in Texas, Jacob has lost three teeth. The first one was lost when we were still living in a hotel. Since Jacob worried the Tooth Fairy wouldn't find him and he didn't have the bear with him, his tooth spent several forgotten months in Mommy's change purse. He came across it one day when I asked him to get me out some change and without my knowing it, he left it out for the Tooth Fairy. However, Jacob forgot he had done this and didn't check the bear. When he lost number two, he was quite disappointed to find tooth number one where he left it. You can imagine the surprised looks Jim and I exchanged at the mention of this. Of course, since the loss of tooth number one happened several months before, the Tooth Fairy must not have known it was in there and didn't look for it. That night Jacob put both teeth in the pillow and hoped for the best. Amazingly enough, the Tooth Fairy had the correct amount of money available when she stopped by his room. Last Sunday, Jacob lost the third one while eating lunch. He rinsed it off and sat it on the coffee table (boys!) and forgot about it. Monday after dropping him off for school I found the tooth on the floor, at least part of the tooth, since it somehow broke. I put both pieces on the coffee table for him to find and when he did he was so upset. He said it was ruined and the Tooth Fairy probably wouldn't want it and he left it there. A couple days later, I notice the tooth was no longer on the coffee table and I knew I hadn't thrown it out. I asked Jacob this morning whatever happened to the broken tooth and he got excited and said he put it in the pillow, but forgot about it. He ran to check and sure enough the Tooth Fairy didn't like the condition of his tooth. Jacob came out of his room and said "She discounted it because it was broken and only gave me 50 cents this time." Daddy said maybe it had something to do with economy.

I don't know how much longer the Tooth Fairy will be making her rounds at this house. Some of Jacob's friends don't get visits anymore. I don't recall when she stopped visiting me. Is there a cutoff point when we as parents say she's no longer allowed to stop by? Again I ask, where did she come from in the first place?