I have really noticed how much the kids faces grow as they grow. The changes are so subtle day to day but are so prominent when you look at their teeth. All three kiddos got teeth late – it was great for the airlines since they have bicoastal grandparents we flew a lot. It was much easier to pull off under two when they only had four teeth at a year. 🙂 Course that wouldn’t work today, but it did then! As I have watched Kate growing – the teeth are what make her growth the most obvious to me. They now look like tiny little chicklets on her ever-growing gums. The spaces are becoming further and further apart as the new teeth work their way down. It’s been a waiting game to see when she would lose her fourth tooth, afterall, she is eight. 🙂

Kate came in my room first thing in the morning – she was excited about the upcoming weekend. (Birthday Party and First Communion) As I looked at her I had to smile because her top front tooth wanted to come out so badly it was practically sideways. It was hanging on by who knows what. We chatted for a minute about the upcoming day and then I said “I can NOT believe that little tooth is still hanging on.” She smiled, and I looked at what I knew was nearing the end of her little girl smile and she said “yup.”

Ten minutes later she came up stairs with a bloody towel and a very proud smile. She had pulled her tooth and was giggling telling me it hurt and felt weird. It brought back those feelings of running your teeth through that gaping hole, the smooth gum and the ridges of the big tooth on it’s way in.