Saying farewell to baby teeth
By Cindy Kent
Sun-Sentinel Staff Writer
My youngest son lost his last baby tooth this week. Before I could even process it, Tom said, "Mom, this is special."
Wow. It really is.
When talking about growing our professional skills, we might say, "We cut our teeth on the family business." The silly song with the lyrics, "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth..." brings a smile and a giggle to every generation. A child's first trip to the dentist provides that dreaded -- then cherished --experience of getting their teeth gently cleaned. (Not to mention a fancy new toothbrush from the doctor with the cool tools.)
Teeth are one of the many ways we measure a person -- through their smile, how they talk, and children growing up.
My daughter would snuggle each lost tooth gently under her pillow, delicately wrapped and ready for the magical Tooth Fairy's visit. My sons had a more, "that's awesome" approach. Turning the "lost" tooth in their hands, exploring each crevice, fresh out of their mouth.
Pointing to various spots on his last lost tooth, my son pointed out to me the gummy "Shark Bite" candy he was chewing on when the big event happened.
"See that light blue spot there? That's the candy I was chewing on," he said proudly. "Shark Bites are my favorite now."
At dinner that night (you should have seen how much he ate!) he grinned ear to ear and announced, "I'm so happy!"
Losing teeth, growing an inch taller, fitting into bigger shoes -- those and so many other milestones -- bring a smile to our faces, even ear-to-ear grins.
Cindy Kent is the mother of three children.
Gretchen Day-Bryant has a son in high school and a daughter in middle school. She’s lived to tell about the struggles of juggling little kids and work.
Joy Oglesby has a preschooler...
Cindy Kent Fort Lauderdale mother of three. Her kids span in ages from teenager to 20s.
Rafael Olmeda and his wife welcomed their first son in Feb. 2009, and he's helping raise two teenage stepdaughters.
Lois Solomon lives in Boca Raton with her husband and three daughters.
Georgia East is the parent of a five-year-old girl, who came into the world weighing 1 pound, 13 ounces.
Brittany Wallman is the mother of Creed, 15, and Lily, 7, and is married to a journalist, Bob Norman. She covers Broward County government, which is filled with almost as much drama as the Norman household. Almost.
Chris Tiedje is the Social Media Coordinator and the father of a 7-year-old girl, and two boys ages 4 and 3.
Kyara Lomer Camarena has a 2-year-old son, Copelan, and a brand new baby. 
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