The tooth with no name

Several years ago we were given a book called "The Mango Tooth."  It's a story about a little girl named Posy who loses her very first tooth eating a mango and gives it that name.  As each of her teeth become loose, you follow the adventures of what she was eating when they fell out and how she named them. 

"Oh the very first tooth was a mango tooth,

'Cause she bit the pit

and that's the truth.

In the morning time, you'll find a dime

A dime beneath the pillow for the mango tooth.

I am  particularly endeared to the illustrations in this book by Marilyn Hafner.  I also especially love when Posy is at a birthday party and manages to trade all of her animal crackers for elephants so that she can lose her tooth biting into an elephant.  

When S lost his first tooth - we had not found this book yet, but we created a fun treasure hunt tradition for that first tooth.  He put his tooth under the pillow, and then we put a rhyme that would give him a clue to where to look and at each spot would be a little goodie - candy, a small toy - and another rhyme that would send him off looking until finally he found his treasure up in the attic!

A's first tooth was a strawberry tooth - she was at Bible school (GLCBS) and swallowed it right down.  Just like with S, we did the tooth treasure hunt.  This time it was all over the dorm - to the foosball table, her friend L's room, into the shower and finally the treasure at the end!  This was not easy as we we had no retail options but the campus bookstore, but we found a fun little pen, stuffed animal, chocolate and journal book.

W waited for what seemed like eons for his first tooth to fall out.  When 6 came and went, I was a bit worried as I didn't see any movement.  But thankfully in the last couple of weeks some wiggling action began.  He had read "The Mango Tooth" book with me many times and really enjoyed it.  So when his tooth became loose, I was a bit surprised when he told me - I am NOT naming this tooth - you can't call it anything.  Why not? I asked.  Because I don't want it to have a name.  Really W? It's a family tradition - all the kids do it- I said.  (Well maybe not S because he's in the double digits now) He wasn't going to budge.  

At first I was shattered.  This tradition means a lot to me and I had been looking forward to it for a long time.  Well- maybe I could bribe him.  "You don't get to do the tooth treasure hunt if you don't have a name for your tooth," I told him.  "Fine then, I won't look for my treasure." W said.  I thought to myself, this is not working.  "OK - fine, I said - then we get to name it if you're not going to."  He was not happy with that either.

On Friday the tooth was so loose it was hanging by a thread.  "Let me pull it" I said.  "No!" said W- "No one is touching my mouth!"  The next morning he was in the lounge playing with Shiloh when all of the sudden he realized it was gone.  He came running into my bed to show me - so excited!  "Where did it go?" he asked.  "I bet you swallowed it in the night."  I told him.  "No - I don't think so - I think it's somewhere in my bed." W says.  He looks and looks and finds nothing.  " I guess we can name it the mystery tooth or the missing tooth."  I suggested.  "NO MOM - this tooth will have NO NAME."  Dad comes around about then and says - "Then I get to name it - I think it should be called the poopy tooth - because that's where it's going to end up."  You can imagine how mad this made him.  

So in the end - we decided to let go of the whole naming the tooth thing- although I guess in naming it the tooth with no name, it actually really does still have a name.

It was easy to decide what to get Wyatt for his treasure.  He had dropped his new gogo toy in the toilet the day before and was very distraught that he couldn't get it out.  When we went to the mall to buy a few things he found a pull string military tank in the candy store that he absolutely loved.  Shiloh secretly bought it for one of his treasures.  That night when he went to sleep, I placed the card under his pillow - 

W's first tooth - 4 June 2011 - The tooth with no name

Wake up, wakeup it's time to look

For a special treat near a book!

The next morning he finds the card with big brother's help and finds the first treasure on the bookshelf - biltong (!!) along with the next clue.

There's something neat higher than your feet.

It's hiding in green on a machine that heats.

After some looking, he found the laundry basket on top of the dryer - in it was the tank he had wanted - boy was he surprised!  "Wow mom - there's more stuff?"

You lost your tooth in the middle of the night

find a special treat near a colorful light.

"This one is easy - the lava lamp!"  There he found a pack of gogos - and ANOTHER clue! (This one written by dad)

Go to the place where granny went swimming

There I am sure is where you'll be winning!

"Who's granny?"  W asked.  S tells him that the zulu word for granny is gogo.  Now he know's right where to go - and he's looking in the toilet - confused!  NEXT to the toilet - he finally finds his gogo collector book package.

He was so surprised and excited - truly caught off guard as to how great this was going to be. In all the excitement - Cam told him how excited he was for his "gogo" tooth.  W was too busy to protest - so maybe we have a name after all!