If it's in writting, it MUST be true

O lost her 2nd top tooth at friend's house on Wednesday.  She brought it home and immediately started talking about keeping it.  I'm sorry, but lost teeth are sort of gross.  Sure, they're cute and little when they're in the mouth, but pull those suckers out and they just give me the heebies.

We told her, in no uncertain terms, that in order to get the money from the tooth fairy, she had to leave the tooth in exchange. O then decided that she'd skip the money, and the tooth fairy, all together and keep the tooth.  We told her no.  We don't keep teeth.

She was so upset.  Started crying hysterically at the table, etc.  (Oh, the drama.)  When we got ready for bed, she showed E the note she was going to leave for the tooth fairy.  It said "Dear Tooth Fairy, I wanted to keep my tooth, but my MOM said NO! Love, O." (which, as an aside, she never calls me "mom" unless she's mad.  She normally calls me Momma or Mommy.)

After E finished putting O to bed, he came back into our room and told me that there was a reason behind all of the madness.  Apparently, if O brings the tooth to school, she gets a little necklace with a tooth shaped container that holds the tooth.  She only gets it if she loses a tooth at school or she brings one in.  E and I decided that we would let her keep the tooth so she could get this.  E wrote a note from the "tooth fairy" saying that she talked to me about keeping the tooth, etc.  and that she'd make an exception to leave the tooth just this once.

In the morning, O came down the stairs so excited!  She was shouting "She let me keep my tooth!"  She laid out the letter from the tooth fairy onto the table.  A, who has a very good memory, looks at the note and says "Hey, that doesn't look like the tooth fairy's handwriting!"  (keep in mind, he has yet to lose a tooth himself.  He's only seen O's notes.)  "Is the tooth fairy real, Momma?" 

I'm totally not into lying straight out about things like the tooth fairy.  It bothers me.  However, I didn't really want to ruin the moment for O, either.  So, I simply said "Well, A, what do you think?  Do you think she's real?"

O, at this point, says to A "but, look!  The note is signed 'love the tooth fairy!' "  A, with a smile on his face, says excitedly "well, then she MUST be real!" 

You know, because everything you read must be true.

I am glad that we have the simple joy and excitement of the tooth fairy still alive in our house.  For now.  Until A discovers some other discrepancy.