Funsy Friday!

First of all let me say "Hi" to the MSM followers who are visiting here.  It was great to have an opportunity to guest blog on that awesome site!  (For those of my regulars who missed it:  PanaMOM's guest post

Down to our Funsy Friday business.  We had some very exciting news on the weekend that I've been waiting to have the opportunity to share.  After 7.5 difficult years of persistence and patience, Carson finally lost his first tooth!!!

(Not the best picture I know, but it kind of grosses me out.)

What makes this whole experience more exciting is that Chloe played an integral role in the experience.  Chloe, AKA The Extractor, pulled the tooth for him.  He really wanted to do it by himself, but his total lack of patience got to be too much.  At 7:30, last Saturday morning, I was awoken by two very happy kids announcing the Chloe pulled Carson's first loose tooth.  (If you are keeping count, this is the 4th person that has lost a tooth via The Extractor, Chloe.  If she can get through 4th grade, she's on her way to dental school!)  The tooth fairy, understocked for times such as this, left Carson a note telling him that he could get the candy bar of his choice.  Carson happily indulged in a Hershey's bar.

Yesterday, I was telling my language trainer about the incident.  She looked at me like I was crazy.  (Normally, I'm looking at her like she's crazy because I have no idea what she's saying.)   Come to find out that the tooth fairy doesn't come to Panama.  No fairies come to Panama.  So who rescues kids' lost teeth from under their pillows in Panama?

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You're going to want to hold on for this one...

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This may not be suitable for an American audience...

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Yes, my friends, Panamanian children wait excitedly to see what el raton de los dientes brings them.  (Forgive the missing accent marks.  I can't figure that out.)  The Tooth Rat??  My langugage trainer corrects my Spanish. It is mouse.  Whatever.  It's a rodent.  Ratoncito Miguel, the Tooth Mouse, brings them treats. 

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.  Children put their teeth under the pillow and then a mouse scurries under there to grab the tooth and leave gifts.  A mouse?  Under a child's pillow?  Panamanian children must have the best dental hygiene on earth.

This is one of those times that you can stand in object horror at the thought of children being taught such things, or you can laugh at how absurd a fat man stuffing himself down a chimney must sound to the rest of the world.  (For the record, Baby Jesus brings the presents in Panama.)

So, tonight, as you insist that your kids brush their teeth before bed, you might let them know that the Tooth Mouse is waiting for their lost teeth.  Brush well, my friends!