My 5-yr-old lost his first tooth. After watching his 8-yr-old sister lose teeth and then get money from the tooth fairy, he was thrilled that his time had finally arrived.

We wrapped the tooth in a tissue and that night, I showed him how to tuck it under his pillow so the tooth fairy could easily get the tooth and leave him some money.

Later that night, the tooth fairy made her arrival. She took the tooth and replaced it with a $5 bill – because losing the first tooth is very special. The other teeth aren’t worth as much.

This is probably a good time to mention that one of the things I have discovered about my little guy is that a change in routine at night can interrupt his sleep. Of course, the anticipation of the tooth fairy arriving was definitely a change in routine. Sure enough, about 3:00 a.m. our bedroom door opened and he proceeded to climbed into bed with us. I was expecting excitement over the discovery that the tooth fairy had arrived, but instead he very quietly told us that the tooth fairy didn’t leave him any money and then the tears began to flow. He was devastated!!

I attempted to calm him down by telling him that maybe the money fell off his bed and was on the floor, but he was still convinced that she took his tooth and left him nothing. Nada. Zilch.

Hubby got out of bed, went to his room and returned with money in hand. Apparently, finding money in the dark isn’t something our little guy is good at. Hubby showed him that the tooth fairy had in fact remembered to leave him something and told him it would be on the bathroom counter for him in the morning. About 10 minutes later he was back to sleep.

Later that morning, he got up for the day. His first stop was the bathroom to get his money. He carried it around with him making sure that everyone in the house saw the money he had been given by that tooth fairy.

Hopefully he’ll stay asleep the next time the tooth fairy is due to arrive.

Excuse the messy mouth. He had been eating and the lose tooth was really bothering him. This was taken right after hubby pulled the tooth.