Tooth fairy

Last Sunday was the start of the sailing season, and James sailed with Simon and Pop, but as the result of a fluke accident, he returned home with his mouth a bit of a mess, unfortunately including two very wobbly top teeth (at least they were his baby teeth), which previously hadn't been moving. Several dentist visits later, and yesterday he had his four front teeth out under a general anaesthetic (they also took out the bottom two, as they were showing no signs of moving, despite both adult teeth being right through behind them).

(before)

While it can't have been fun for him, I was impressed with how smooth the procedure was. I walked him into theatre, and was able to hold him on my lap while he had the gas anaesthetic, then the anaesthetist helped me lift him directly onto the operating table, and I walked out and left them to it. Half an hour later it was all done, and I was provided with the teeth in a nice little pouch for tooth-fairy duties, and shortly after I was back with him while he woke and had ice cream and then jelly. He's been remarkably good about it all, and is recovering well, but will have a big gap at the top for the best part of a year.

(after)

I knew he had suspicions about the tooth fairy, and waited until late to make the visit, leaving a sprinkle of fairy dust behind. However, my inability to find the really fine glitter was nearly the tooth fairy's downfall, as he determined it to be glitter, not fairy dust - he also let slip that he'd tried to use it to make magic, and it hadn't worked! Luckily my explaination that, "Of course it didn't work, you're not a fairy!" seemed to satisfy, and he was very pleased with the tooth fairy's generosity - I figured that four at once, plus the method of removal, warranted it. Next time, it'll be back to gold coins - although I expect the magic might have gone by then.