That Grin

I knew I wouldn’t see THAT grin many more times.  Because Brighton is my second child, I knew his “blow the fuses” smile wouldn’t always look like “that”.  I didn’t know to give it much thought when Julia’s two front teeth became loose at the same time before Easter 2008.  Once those top baby teeth start coming out, an unfamiliar ever-changing landscape begins forming.

Brighton lost one of his bottom teeth the night before we left for the beach. Just like the times before, he quickly snagged a piece of paper from the printer, found a pen in my desk drawer, sat down at the kitchen table and drew his face, wrote down his phone number and address and was sure to point out the all important gaping hole in his mouth.  

When I leave pictures by the sugar jar for Jeff to see, he mistakes them for a spoon rest-- thus the big coffee stain on B's picture.

This past Wednesday night was no different-- except the fact that it was 10:30 and he must have spent the previous two hours in bed wiggling and jiggling one of his front teeth.  He was WIDE awake determined to extract the tooth from its comfortable home.  Minutes later, I had a bonafide snaggle tooth dancing around my kitchen.  When I saw his grin, I laughed and felt a little lump in my throat simultaneously.  The familiar-- gone.  That little boy grin-- changing.  After a quick celebration, he headed straight for the printer-- and he drew again.  

So for a short time, this smile will change from month to month. At some point, hopefully, all of these teeth will stop falling out and the new layout will be revealed.  Until then, his ever changing grin will be the one I will grow accustomed to seeing daily, the one I will capture a bazillion more time with my camera, and the one that will blow just as many of my fuses.  (The dimple kind of seals the deal.)

Excuse the phone quality of this next picture but it was late at night and the closest "camera" thingy to me, but you have to see this hair-- and this is CALM compared to when he wakes up in the morning.  There is hardly any hope of keeping a straight face when he steps in front of you like this with something perfectly serious to talk with you about.  This night it was his very loose tooth.