Changes

I don't like change! I like the constant of knowing what's going to happen and when. I like being able to think I have a handle on the situation.  Change disrupts all these feelings! Change with kids is inevitable, and inevitably it makes me sad. It means they are growing up, getting closer to flying out of my nest and in the air on their own. Boo change!!

We have had two distinct changes in the appearance of my youngest two. The first was something that I couldn't control and was  normal rite of passage.

Elijah lost his first tooth!

Before it came out, but was bleeding as it got ready. Look at those sweet baby teeth.

Through my parenting years, I've discovered there are two types of baby tooth losers. Those who, upon discovering a "loosey" will constantly be seen with their fist in their mouths wiggling away. A little blood? Phooey! No reason for concern. They've waged war on that little baby tooth and they won't stop until it's out. John, Anna, Daniel and Abbey fall into this category. Then there are the likes of my first and last kids, Beth and Elijah. They nurse those baby teeth. Barely wiggling them and eating all around their mouth in order to avoid biting on the loose tooth. If they see the slightest bit of blood, they panic, thinking they may be in need of a transfusion. These types walk around with the tooth dangling by a thread. Most of the time, they require assistance before the tooth is out, especially the first one.

Elijah has had the loose tooth for quite a while. The top picture showed it a day or so before it came out. I was the one who gave the tooth its final yank. I had won Elijah's trust. He would let me wiggle, as long as I would stop the minute he yelled, "Stop!" The final time, he yelled and I showed him the tooth! He was so excited that it was out.

He's lost another one close on the heels of the first one. Both times the "tooth fairy", who is unlike any other family's tooth fairy, came and brought Elijah $2 per tooth. (You have to be part of our family to be in on our tooth fairy secret, but a clue is that our tooth fairy is often in need of a shave)

So now it's off to the land of "teeth and ears", (which is how fellow teachers used describe little ones when their big teeth came in), for Elijah. And mama mourns….

Abbey has made a big change in her appearance. She got her long, beautiful hair cut! She had been clamoring for a style change for a while. I really didn't want her to cut her long tresses. I even offered to allow her to color part of her hair, if she wouldn't cut it. She wouldn't hear it, she was bound and determined to have her locks chopped. I've made the choice not to make hair a battle. I will have bigger fish to fry! They can do whatever with their hair, it will grow back. So we made a date with our personal cosmetologist, Anna.

Before

During

After

She's still beautiful, but I really miss her lovely hair. I could do so much with it. Now we are severely limited in our style choices. But, she loves it!  She now looks like a preteen instead of a little girl. (I think that was what she desired, and definitely what I did not).

So, change is happening and I don't like it. But, I saw a quote the other day. "If we didn't have change, we wouldn't have any butterflies!" So, I guess I need to embrace the change around me, and rejoice as  my caterpillars as they turn into butterflies.