….and my little 5 year old comes home with her tooth carefully wrapped in a bit of tissue. It was hurting a lot in class and the school nurse pulled it out for her. Knowing more than her simpleton of a brother who didn’t bother about the tooth fairy at 6 or the monetary gains, she guarded hers carefully and I was impressed.
Anyhow, the Brat had never bothered with the tooth fairy – he just whined about his tooth. I am sure he will grow up to like his father and all other men who get in to bed because of a common cold. The Bean on the other hand, shows remarkable signs of being a true woman. No whining over pain or malingering. She told me some days ago that it was shaky, I nodded and patted her on the head. Over the last 2 days she mentioned that she was having trouble chewing. Again, I just nodded absently and got on with it. And then she simply got the nurse to pull it out, ending the matter neatly, much like her mother in matters of health.
I don’t know if second children just grow faster or if time flies faster once you learn to make your peace with the tedious parts of parenthood like dirty diapers and long nights. With the Bean, everything just seems to be flashing by like lightning. I remember blogging about the Brat being terribly sick and how we were sitting at the doctor’s clinic with a tiny Bean in our arms. Suddenly a lady across me asked me how old she was and I said – 3,4 months, whatever it was that she was. To which the lady asked me how long she’d been sitting without support, such a small child. I’d looked down in surprise and realised that they were right – she was sitting forward and trying to lean over my arm. But so busy was I with the Brat that I’d missed noticing and making much of her latest milestone. I also recall having a nasty, spiteful little troll on the post asking me what kind of mother doesn’t notice her child sitting up – a mother of a second child born close on the heels of a first who is unwell, I suppose! Makes me laugh to think back on the pettiness people indulged in at that time.
On a related note, I DO have some traditions with regard to the Bean and one of them is taking a picture of her alongside the Easter Lily in my garden. I want to know when she’s going to be taller than it. Clearly I am having better luck with the plant than with the daughter because it is still taller than her, 4 years down.
Anyone remember the old picture and post? It said simply - The lilies are in bloom and when I stepped out to admire them, I found a little beady eyed bug hidden among the leaves… I wonder if it is dangerous.
And now for the Bean measured against the Spider lilies this year.
