James Is Onto the Tooth Fairy

One day, unbeknownst to me, James was rifling through my office drawer full of future gifts for him and his sister. He didn’t realize there were secret things to be found there, but suddenly he ran into the room where I was sitting, victoriously holding aloft a dollar bill covered in gold glitter, folded into a fighter jet. My heart sank.

The dollar bill fighter jet that caused all the problems. I think most of the glitter has rubbed off.

“I know you’re the Tooth Fairy!” James announced with a huge grin. My mind was racing. He had found the Tooth Fairy loot I had originally prepared when he had lost his first tooth a week before but, because of my incompetent folding, tossed aside in favor of four quarters, each covered in different colors of glitter. I didn’t see HOW I was possibly going to talk myself out of this. In case I was about to give him the speech about the real identity of the Tooth Fairy, I shushed him so Julia might still have a fighting chance of believing in her little dental sprite. Right then Julia rushed in and told us, “We’re all ready for Uno!” So, just before heading into the family room to play I whispered to James that I would tell him the truth after the game.

The whole Uno game all I could think about was how could I possibly get out of this and still have James believe in the Tooth Fairy, when suddenly I got an idea. Thankfully I won Uno and while the rest continued playing until everyone was out of cards, I ran back into the office with our future trip to Canada in mind to make some preparations...

When James’s Uno game ended I took him aside, and asked, “When you found the plane did you see the note that was with it?” He said “No” so I told him, “You missed this then,” and I pulled out a note. It was from the Tooth Fairy.:

The letter that saved the day.

For believability I added that the Tooth Fairy gave my mother a similar note when I was James’s age and went to Hawaii with my grandparents. I told him that I was just trying to keep the Tooth Fairy’s secret.

James went along with it. For now. But ever since I was forthcoming that leprechauns weren’t real, it’s opened up a real can of worms with regards to the pretend trinity of Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy. (I had no idea that teachers and other parents have collectively decided that leprechauns were real. A heads up would have been nice.) Since then the kids have been doubtful about all of them, often asking if it’s me. James has even compared my handwriting to Tooth Fairy handwriting.

James ended up losing his second tooth on our second to last day in Canada and he finally got his glittery fighter jet.

The night before James lost his second tooth. In the first photo he’s showing me how he can make his tooth lie completely flat. That’s pretty much how you know you’re losing a tooth in the next 24 hours.

James sitting on the sculpture of a banana peel outside a subway station in Montreal possibly at the exact moment he lost his second tooth. (Those are the circumstances when everyone loses a tooth, right?) James has a look of “Wait, did I just swallow my tooth?”

James and the giant gaping hole. This was taken a few hours after he lost his second tooth.

James and Julia 24-28 Months, Part X: Lists of Favorites and Least Favorites

Here is Part I: Singing "Genko Ball" and Wearing Santa Diapers

Here is Part II: Rediscovering the Mall, Gymnastics Party, and Pizza at Papa and Gaga’s Apartment

Here is Part III: Whole Foods Mini Shopping Carts, a Tunnel, and a Giant Box

Here is Part IV: Sliding Down the Wood Chip Pile, Julia Fall Butt, and One-Teen

Here is Part V: High Chair Bookworms, Okapi, and Eating Cold Things

Here is Part VI: The Crib Tent, Booger ‘Stache, and “Come on, James!”

Here is Part VII: James’s First Non-Sister Kiss, Almanzo Stinks, and Dog Fears and Tantrums Begin

Here is Part VIII: James, My Mechanical, Anxious, Papa-Fixated, Frustrated, Non-Compliant, Creative, Musical Boy

Here is Part IX: Julia, My Cheerful, Flirtatious, Demanding, Sociopathic, Clingy, Independent, Funny, Puzzle-Loving Girl

James Loves

-Crib tent

-Watching videos/hearing music (and really upset when it ends)

-Wants “up” all the time to look at things on counter of kitchen and bathroom

-At Gymboree: bubbles, Gymbo hugs and kisses, climbing

-Playing in closet (both like this, but especially James)

James Hates

The Very Worst (result in screaming)

-haircuts

-vacuum

-hairdryer

-parking garages

-elevators

-nails being cut

Also Bad

-thermometers

-taking medicine

-ladybugs

-feathers

-when things don’t obey the laws of James physics (e.g. he tries to cram a bunch of things into a container and the lid won’t fit)

Not Quite as Bad but Not Great

-men

-new places

-baths; washing his hair

James’ Favorite Toys

Non-toys (bags of dried beans, blue Tupperware lids, grocery bags - see video, feeding spoons, straws, tupperware, cooking pot - especially for sitting on when he’s brushing his teeth)

Doggy

Football

Bead maze on Zany Zoo

Bounce and Spin Zebra

Sand toys

Matching cards (by Charley Harper)

Mega Blok fire truck

Bracelets

Alphabet nesting and stacking blocks

Ball/ramp set - our Franken-version of two sets (and taking it apart)

Toy laptop computer (My Own Leaptop)

Play utensils and spoons

Hide N Squeak Eggs

Tunnel

Racetrack and cars

James gets very excited about grocery bags.

Julia and James play with their new Charley Harper matching card game on their birthday.

James is excited to use two computers at his workstation at the same time just like Daddy.

James’ Favorite Clothes

Blue shirt

Blue arctic animal pajamas

Red hat

James’ Favorite Foods

Yogurt

Cupcakes

Blueberries (freeze-dried)

Raspberries (freeze-dried)

Macaroni and cheese

Mango

Waffle

Broccoli cake (Dr. Praeger’s frozen Broccoli Littles)

Fortune cookies

Grilled cheese sandwiches

Pizza

Thai satay

Watermelon

James after eating freeze-dried blueberries

Favorite entree/protein: 1) pasta with mizithra (as found at The Old Spaghetti Factory), 2) grilled cheese, 3) pasta with tomato sauce, 4) yogurt

Fruit: 1) watermelon, 2) pineapple

Vegetable: 1) baby corn, 2) latkes, 3) broccoli cake

Grain: brown rice, cereal (granola, Erewhon brown rice cereal - like Rice Krispies)

Snack: freeze-dried blueberries (often for breakfast), crackers (graham crackers, cheddar bunnies)

Generally likes: pasta, sweets (both choices sound like me)

James’ Favorite songs

*The Alphabet Song (ABCD)

*Jingle Bells

*Frosty the Snowman

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Happy Birthday to You

James’ Favorite Books

*Wheels on the Bus

Birthday Monsters

Blue Train, Green Train

Many Days, One Shabbat

Dayenu!

(James likes a lot of Jewish-themed books that arrive courtesy of the P.J. Library)

(*very favorite)

Julia Loves

-Being read books

-Climbing across Pottery Barn kid chairs in the nursery

-At Gymboree: Gymbo hugs and kisses, going under the parachute, bubbles, hitting or climing on the air log

-Helping (unloading dishwasher, putting away toothbrushes, putting away laundry, sweeping)

-Putting Sesame Street characters in mugs

Julia Hates

-baths, particularly washing hair

-waking up from naps

-sharing lap/not being in front on Mommy’s lap-train

-hearing ABCD song because when it ends it means she’ll have to hand a toy over to James

-accidentally closing herself in a dark room (she loves closing doors)

Julia’s Favorite Toys

*Whatever James has

*Sesame Street figurines and Little People grandparent figurines

*Sing Along with Elmo

Elmo (not as into as Bunny as before)

Horsey (riding horse; she rides while listening to Jingle Bells)

Bunny

Plasma car

Books that play music (Elmo Christmas, Elmo drum, World Lullabies)

Alphabet puzzle

Busy Gears

Julia plays with Sing Along with Elmo

Julia’s Favorite Clothes

Pink piggie pajamas

Pink cat pajamas

Julia’s Favorite Foods

*Macaroni and cheese

Broccoli (in dishes at Chinese restaurants)

Blueberries (freeze-dried)

Raspberries (freeze-dried)

Waffles

Broccoli cake (Dr. Praeger’s brand)

Fortune cookies

Bagels

Cheerios

Corn (freeze-dried)

Favorite entree/protein: macaroni and cheese, Su Hong black bean chicken

Fruit: strawberries, blueberries

Vegetable: baby corn, latke, broccoli cake

Grain: cereal (Cheerios), brown rice

Snack: freeze-dried blueberries, Cheerios

Generally likes: meat, bread

Julia’s Favorite Songs

*Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

*Jingle Bells

*Frosty the Snowman

The Alphabet Song (ABCD) (See video of her singing it.)

Baby Beluga

Julia’s Favorite Books

*What’s Gonna Work? Teamwork! (”Big Book;” “I-Spy like)

*Elmo’s ABC Book

Ollie

Sesame Street: Move to the Music (Elmo drum book)

Nursery Rhymes (Mary Englebreit)

Little Vampire

Little Books (about Sesame Street)

If You Take a Mouse to the Movies

(*very favorite)

Both Love

-Listening to Baby Beluga over and over

-Looking at themselves and their family in pictures on the computer

-Postman putting mail in our mailbox

-Turning lights on and off

-Closing doors (and announcing “close door”)

-Playground slides

-Steps (especially going down our front steps which disappear after our front yard is landscaped a few months later in Aug.)

-Watching Sesame Street with Papa and Gaga

-Having Mark make faces at them from the window above the front door when they come in

-Following me (to bathroom and also when someone else is taking care of them and I am home they always find me)

-Seeing the blue Christmas lights on our neighbor Paul’s house

-Using mini shopping carts at Whole Foods

Both Hate

-Baths

-Silence between CD tracks

-Shaky arm

-Nose tap

-Cold hands

(The last 3 are games played by Mark; but they like them too. It’s complicated.)

Favorite Activities for Both

-Unloading dishwasher (especially by my “helper” Julia; I give them unbreakables. See video.)

-Unloading groceries

-Cleaning the floor with brooms and dustpans

-Walking to the apple tree

-Running on our bed

-Mark games: He says “bow-key bow-key bow” (“bow” as in “ow”; it’s a sound from their Peter Rabbit book with sound) before ”take down” (knocking them over). (They tell him laughingly, “No bow-key bow-key bow.”)

-More Mark Games: shaky arm (shakes their arm like jelly), cannonball boom (hits his head against them), cold hands (Mark puts his cold hands on them and announces, “cold hands!”)

-Games with Papa (mostly) and Gaga: up up up (walking up their chests)

-Games with Papa and with me: 1-2-3 hug

-Games with me: I’m gonna get you (chasing them around the house and often I “incompetently” let them run under my legs), I’m going to kiss your... nose, tummy, ear

-Jumping on their soft kid chairs

-Playing in our closet

-Having me hold them up in kitchen to push microwave buttons and name things on counter

-Washing their hands in the sink

The babies "help" me put away silverware.

I hope they’re this enthusiastic about sweeping in a few years. (Here they’re also wearing their favorite pajamas.)

1-2-3 Hug Papa!

Julia enters the closet and plays peek-a-boo.

Favorite Toys for Both

*Hangers

*Fake Food

Riding Horsey (rocking horse) and Bounce and Spin Zebra to Christmas music

Bristle blocks

Wrapping paper rolls

Mommy and Daddy’s shoes

*Charley Harper Matching card game (James likes cards; Julia likes matching)

Doll stroller

Sesame street figurines

Shopping cart (when I call them to the nursery they often transport a toy there or just wheel it in)

Number puzzle

*Pottery Barn Kids soft chairs (jumping on them and off them onto other chair)

*Big box (pretend to sleep in it, we close lid while they’re inside which they love; Julia drinks milk inside)

Old cassette tapes of mine

*Racetrack and cars

Fun with hangers!

The kids receive fake food for their birthday and Julia immediately starts passing it out.

Mommy’s pink and brown Converse nicely complement Julia’s outfit.

Julia and James each take one of Mommy’s boots.

Favorite Foods for Both

Freeze-dried blueberries

Broccoli cake (Dr. Praeger’s)

Latkes

Brown rice

Brown rice cake

Cookies (especially fortune cookies)

Crackers (graham crackers, cheddar bunnies, peanut butter sandwich crackers, cheese sandwich crackers)

Rice Krispies

Nature’s Path Organic Flax plus Pumpkin Granola cereal

Dried green mango

Baby corn

Favorite Songs for Both

*Twinkle Twinkle; ABC, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Happy Birthday (before bed and an extra Twinkle for Julia)

*Jingle Bells

*Frosty the Snowman

*Up on the Housetop

(lots of Raffi Christmas songs; they like to ride to the last three on their horsey and zebra)

Lots of other Raffi songs (and entire Raffi albums in the car): Mr. Sun, Down by the Bay; Aikendrum, *Baby Beluga

*Bonanza theme (Papa and Gaga sing it while the kids ride their horsey and zebra)

Slippery Fish

Take Me out to the Ballgame (with Papa and Gaga)

Mommy sings: Earth Angel, *Summertime (“summertime summertime sum sum summertime”)

Favorite Books for Both

Baby Beluga

No No Yes Yes

Wheels on the Bus

Sesame Street Sing-Along Holiday Songs

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale (especially Julia)

Good Night Gorilla (see video of Julia “reading” it)

Maisy Cleans Up

But Not the Hippopotamus (especially Julia)

(*very favorite)