rite of passage - with teeth!

So I just had to put up a little post today to announce that I got to be the tooth fairy for the first time ever last night! It was awesome, and I was totally nervous. And Lilly could have been faking sleep. But still... very excellent.

At age 10 she's got a couple of teeth that are on their way out, and one popped while she was swigging her water bottle at Girl Scout camp yesterday. Fortunately she did not swallow it, so it was home and ready for cash exchange last night.

I just assumed Brian would do it - he's been everything to her for so long: Daddy, Mommy, squabbly sibling, Santa, Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy all rolled into one. But the dear man suggested I do it. He totally coached me on how to locate the tooth pillow, opened her door for me (he's got the knack for doing it quietly), and softly cheered me on. It was so sweet. I successfully snuck in the $5 (!I used to get a quarter!) and recovered the tooth. Not convinced she was totally asleep, but if not, she faked it real good.

I love that Brian knows how much it means me to be a good stepmom to Lilly, and I love that he is so willing to share all the warm, wonderful parts of parenting with me, as well as the burdens. I feel very lucky.

He also knows, I think, that I was going to be deep in preparation for a different kind of mommying this month. And so those special, positive moments with Lilly are becoming ever more important to me. Mine is a strange, anomalous kind of motherhood. Having the chance to enact a simple mothering task, like being the tooth fairy, does build confidence. Does create pleasure. Does hold up hope.