Tooth Fairy's Wand Our for Repairs!

We're having a wee bit of trouble with the tooth fairy lately. Just wanted to warn you. I'm not sure if she is just working overtime, but she has slacked off for the second time now...this is just unacceptable!

Last night, as my seven year old was brushing her teeth, her 8th tooth fell out. She still gets excited, and we promtly folded it in tissue and placed it gently under her pillow. As I sat with each child's chosen book for the evening in hand, she asked if she could please write a note to the tooth fairy. My eyelids were sagging, but I told her yes, if she hurried. Past bedtime, you know.

She brings in the most adorable note, I read it through blurred eyes, and she places that, too, under her pillow. Finally...two stories later, I say prayers with the girls, and as with our ritual, I lie briefly on my four year old's bed as we listen to a lullaby tape. Seven year old wants to tell one made-up story (as we sometimes do) so she starts in...

"OK, I remember where I left off last time. The zebra was about to dance in the ballet..."
Now, a lot of times, I love hearing my daughter's imagination at work. It's an amazing thing! But ten minutes later, I assured her that it was time to either end the saga or let it go on to Part III.
She relented and finished off with some sort of cliff-hanger...something about the zebra in the tutu being stranded on an island...and before I could even say good-night, both girls were off to dreamland.

I was never so happy to finally go to bed...

I awoke first and went downstairs, and a little later I hear the girls excitedly saying things like,
"Let's look, let's look!" and a disapointed
"Ohhhhh...."

My heart dropped to the floor. Not again!

I went upstairs, and casually asked if the tooth fairy left something or did she forget like that other time...
They answered that she, indeed, forgot.
"You're kidding?" I exclaimed, walking into my bedroom and grabbing a few coins off the dresser. I strolled into their room with a puzzled expression worthy of Meryl Streep, ignoring the imagined "Mommy Failure" tattooed across my forehead. I reach, non-chalantly, under the pillow with my closed hand, asking,
"Are you sure? That's ashame..."
Then my youngest heard a jingle.
"Wait!" She reaches in and both girls get excited. She graciously gives it to the seven year old toothless wonder, who takes the 40 cents with as much joy as if it had been gold.
"I just heard the noise, and there it was!" my youngest proudly annouces.
And I sigh a breath of relief and smile.

But really...this tooth fairy is not on her game at all. Just because it's the 8th tooth and all, there's no need for her to get sloppy. I can't cover for her all the time!

So, I just wanted to warn you...take heed. When one of your own loses their next tooth, don't get lazy and fall into bed before first tiptoing in and checking under that pillow to see if Miss Fairy has done her duty.

Because there's just nothing that can tug at a mama's heart more than a coinless, toothless child.