We had a couple of “firsts” over the past few days. Both of which provided me with those “teaching moments” that parents are always going on about. Of course, the teaching moments were for me…but I think that still qualifies.
Number one involves the universally anticipated and either loved/hated daylight savings time. Before having kids, I reveled in the extra hour of sleep that autumn daylight savings time bestowed upon us. The annual “fall back” morning was like a holiday – people looked happier, younger and willing to ignore the fact that it was suddenly dark when they left the office. They had an extra hour of sleep, making that early sunset dazzle like no other.
Then I had a baby. And I learned that babies don’t wake up and say, “hey – I have a whole other hour to keep sleeping. Score!” Autumn daylight savings time became a major inconvenience. And I started to much prefer the “spring forward” perk of my baby finally waking up at a far less cruel hour of the morning.
This continued for years until recently. Now that Oliver is five and the twins are four, they rarely torture me with 5:00 a.m. wake up calls. And if they ever do, they’re old enough to be tossed in front of the TV with a snack while I go back to bed. Gaining an extra hour in the morning may not mean that I’ll get more sleep, but that earlier wake up time isn’t unreasonable. It’s the extra evening hour that holds so much appeal for me. The fact that it feels like it’s an hour later when bedtime rolls around should hold great potential for new kid-free time before 9:00 p.m. Or at least that’s what I thought…
Sadly, it was no easier getting them up to bed Sunday night than any other night. And if anything, they fell asleep even later. This is probably due to my own hubris – thinking I could just close the door and forgo the previously required time in their room, making sure they calmed down and fell asleep. At the very least, I thought they’d all sleep in yesterday giving me a little alone time in the morning – but that was another disappointment. Everyone was bright eyed and bushy tailed at 6:00 a.m.
So my first year of “fall back” working in my favor was a total bust. Next time I won’t have such high expectations. Exactly why do we do all of this falling and springing anyway? What percentage of the U.S. population is planting crops?
The other recent “first” is pretty exciting. My first born, Oliver lost his FIRST tooth last night. We have been eagerly awaiting this event for about a month after he first wiggled it at us. I checked that thing every day looking for progress and had recently decided that I would probably have to pull it out myself when he graduated high school.
But the new tooth coming in finally pushed the old one out. And last night around 7:00 p.m. we all jumped up and down cheering for the tiny speck of white enamel lying on the dining room floor.
(Not the best picture I have of Oliver – but definitely the best one of the hole in his smile.)
Now – one would think that over the course of the past month, someone (I) would have procured a Tooth Fairy gift to have ready in the wings. But no – not a single celestial surprise existed in any of our closets or storage spaces. So five minutes into the celebration, I turned to Chris and said, “I guess you’d better run out and buy something.” Go Supermom!
When Chris arrived home, sneaking in the “best thing could find at Rite Aid on short notice”…
(More goofy pictures…he really is a handsome boy…)
…he knew the kids would be upstairs brushing teeth and getting ready for our bedtime marathon. Unfortunately, Cindy Lou Who (Eleanor) surprised him on his way in the door. I didn’t know anything about this until this morning when she announced to everyone exclaiming over the fabulous cheap plastic train set from the Tooth Fairy that “Daddy bought it at the store.” Go Superdad! I wonder if there will be probing questions about why Santa’s workshop produces the same crap we see at Target every week…
Lesson learned – plan ahead for sneak attacks from the Tooth Fairy. And have a good story ready if your cover is blown.
Live and learn…
Tooth Fairy bringing toys? We empty out the couch cushions in my house, only cold hard change comes to our house. Tooth fairy is way too small to be lugging toys.
He looks adorable with that little gap!
Our tooth fairy brings change.
I've never heard of the tooth fairy doing anything but leaving $ under your pillow!
He is … He IS adorable!!!! So happy for Oliver for losing his first tooth. So impressed that you went out and bought him a gift. Whoa does that prove I'm such a slacker mom. :)
And holy cow on the "fall back" time change. My kids are up WAY too early these days. Ugh.
wow! when the tooth fairy comes to our house, it just throws a few dollar bills under the pillow. ooops. maybe we should come to your house! lol
very cute and love the gap!
Wait! The toothfairy brings gifts?! I thought she brought a quarter, or maybe a dollar coin! I'm so behind the times.
He's adorable!
The tooth fairy doesn't bring presents. She brings MONEY. A dollar bill would have sufficed.
That is a serious gift from the tooth fairy. We give a dollar, sometimes 2. But my parents upped the ante and give five dollar bills! My kids are a little disappointed with our tooth fairy.
How cute is Oliver??!!
Our tooth fairy leaves money too, and we have enough trouble with that. Hope Cindy Lou Who doesn't bust Santa. Congrats to hole-y Oliver. (I also wiggled Mooch's loose teeth every chance I got. Wonder when that's going to wear thin… )
Thanks for making me smile today, Kate! The tooth fairy is upping the ante these days! Also I am so with you on daylight savings time – isn't the need for it kind of over nowadays? xx
Congrats on the first tooth! It was very sad to me. A sign that my oldest, first baby was growing up. Sigh.
Secondly, I just posted about the deep love (wink-wink) i have for daylight savings too. I HATE IT. Can all us mommies come together to have it banded???????
http://talesofamarriedsinglemom.blogspot.com/