Subtle Differences

If you read yesterday's post, you know that Domino lost his first tooth. By the end of the day, he was very excited about the process and couldn't wait for the tooth fairy to come. We read books about the tooth fairy and he listed off all the stuff the tooth fairy was going to bring - like the tooth fairy was Santa. I explained "The tooth fairy doesn't bring presents - the tooth fairy brings lucky coins."

After the kids were asleep the tooth fairy got to work. About a year ago, I purchased a new coin-jar style piggy bank for Domino, one that keeps track of how much money goes in, with the plan of the tooth fairy delivering it with some change inside. I opened the box last night and discovered the thing takes AAA batteries - of which I had none. I pillaged one of our lesser used remote controls and set it up.

Inside the piggy bank, I placed a typed up note from the tooth fairy. I used a super small font on a cut down long thin strip of paper which I curled around a pencil for a while so it was a neat spiral shape. As for the $ - I threw in one of my silver dollars.

I have been collecting silver dollars since I was a kid. If my foggy memory is correct, my grandfather used to give them to me for my birthday. I've had a collection of the same 40 or so silver dollars for about 30 years. I've added a handful of Susan B's over time as well. For many years I had them all hidden in an old red purse so that my brother wouldn't find them and steal them. After my brother moved out, the red purse just seemed like the natural place to store the coins and they remained there long after I moved out into my own apartment. Honestly, I think I had them saved away in that red purse when I met Tonester! I've saved those silver dollars for years and years - almost like my own little treasure. It would never enter my mind to spend them.

But I digress...

When I went in last night to do my fairy duties, Domino was asleep completely turned around on the bed - head at the feet - almost as far away from the pillow as possible. I had expected him to booby trap the bed on me and hide the tooth just to see what would happen, but instead it seemed like he didn't want to risk it with the tooth fairy and took the path of least resistance.

This morning when I went to wake him, he excitedly said "what the....?!" at the money jar. He was very happy and enjoyed the little note. Immediately, he ran to wake up Rascal.

"Rascal! Rascal! The tooth fairy came and brought me a whole dollar!!"

Rascal rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and then, to my horror, checked under his pillow for his dollar.

See, the thing is, I guess I failed to explain the subtle differences between the other big mythological present givers - Santa and the Easter Bunny who dole out the loot to all - and the tooth fairy who just visits one kid in the house.

Domino started listing all the stuff he's going to immediately buy with his dollar (all of which costs more than a dollar) and Rascal just sat there glumly. I did my best to cheer him up and explained that his teeth will start getting loose soon too and the tooth fairy will bring him a surprise when it happens.

Then he said "When the tooth fairy gives me special coin like that - I'm going to save it forever."

Amen.