Tooth fairy
On the evening of Christmas Eve Eve Cooper mentioned his tooth hurt. When we took a look we saw the abscess on the gum above the tooth he broke 14 months ago. We were aware this could happen, but thought we were in the clear by now.
We were very fortunate that the Children’s dentistry we have been working with was open on Christmas Eve. That morning we headed in for an appointment and left Nicholas at home with Nene. We both wanted to be able to focus on Cooper and understand our options knowing something major would need to be done. We had three options: 1. Root canal – with a 60% success rate, meaning he wouldn’t be back to have it pulled if it works. 2. Use Versed (a memory forgetting drug) the following week and schedule to have the tooth pulled. 3. Use no medication and have the tooth pulled today.
With Cooper’s communication skills so strong we opted for option 3 knowing we could talk through the experience and not have him have to worry about that tooth ever again. They had said it would be most hard on us, the parents. The dentists were amazing during the 10 quick procedure doing most of it with just a little distraction of Thomas on the TV. When it came time to pull the tooth, after the local was given, Rob held Cooper’s arms while they pulled the tooth. Cooper was upset briefly, but as soon as it was out he was extra cuddly and said he wanted to go home. When we were heading out to the car, randomly, Santa Claus hopped out of a Microsoft Shuttle driving by and gave Cooper an etchasketch with an elf waving to us from the vehicle behind. It was so bizarre, but Cooper really didn’t see phased anymore by the event and was really happy with the reindeer and penguin rubber duck he got from the dentist office (we get at least one duck every time we visit). We told him he could have ice cream when we got home and he was pleased with that.
When we got home he told Nene that he was sad at the dentist, but was happy now and his tooth didn’t hurt.
We talked with Cooper about how the tooth fairy was going to be a special passenger in Santa’s sleigh that night. Nene and I crafted a tooth fairy pillow and we were ready for a double overnight visitors. With Cooper being just 2.5 we opted for the tooth fairy to bring him watercolors and may switch to money and other traditions in ~4 years when his other teeth start coming out.
