It’s our secret.

I don’t remember when it started, but somehow I came up with the notion that the tooth fairy resides in Iowa, the Easter Bunny in Kansas, and of course Santa Claus on the North Pole. My youngest will look at the map of the U.S. and when I say, “there’s Kansas and Iowa” a big smile comes on to their faces.

But there’s more. Now I have learned there are many new witches and fairies being added to the line up of fictional (shhh) friends out there. I learned of the “shoe fairy,” who brings new shoes to kids when their old ones have worn out, is the latest fairy to join the fairy tale union of givers. I have learned she lives in California---no shock. I would have to believe this would be popular in our household with all of the girls who live inside. We also have the “switch witch” who comes around the night of Halloween to switch candy for a gift---when did she come on to the scene?  What I am wondering is when is money actually going to start to grow on trees? When it does, I intend to own a forest.

Growing up is a lot of fun when you are watching it happen as an adult. We always compare notes with friends when a loose tooth pops out of a child’s mouth. I remember, and this was probably around the time when I used to walk 6 miles up hill both ways to school, when we would receive a dime or maybe a quarter for a lost tooth. Do that today and you will get a look that suggests the tooth fairy must be broke or really pissed off at you.

Recently, and I will not disclose who it was for---not my child---I know of a young girl who at age 7 finally gave up her pacifier.  She went to bed with all of her pacifiers under her pillow and woke up the next morning with an ipad in their place.  I said, “I am going to place my pacifiers under my pillow to see if it works.” The good news is, she has kept it up and no longer uses them—the bad news is, it doesn’t work for adults.

I do love the excitement kids have when they know that something special is waiting for them when they wake up---the most important thing to do? You need to remember to place whatever you are going to place under their pillow that night. I have done that before---not fun when they wake up.

The photo above was taken last week when our youngest had her front tooth “finally” wiggle its way out of her mouth. With pride she stood in front of the window at Wrigley Field where she proudly showed off her tooth and “space” where the tooth had been. It’s funny, just like the Cubs that night, who blew a 2 run lead in the 9^th inning, there turned out to be a big gap.

Thanks for stopping by.