So Much For the Opposable Thumb

Mae has lost another tooth, but this time she lost it in a very unconventional way.....

This tooth of Mae's has been wiggling it's way out for about six months now, and by the latter part of last week it was getting to the 'ewe, would you just pull that thing' phase as it was hanging quite precariously in its half-twisted way. Up to this point, Mae has pulled her own teeth (thank you very much. seriously, thank you Mae!) but this time she asked her dad if he would tie a string to it and close the door. I must mention that this method was tried on her first tooth but it never worked, so both Ryan and I didn't think it would actually happen, but she asked again anyway and Ryan obliged her.

Ryan pulled out the dental floss (about two yards of it, that should be sufficient, yes?) and tried to tie it around the loose tooth. After several attempts, Ryan finally was able to get the floss secured to the tooth. And he did a good job too! In fact, he did such a good job that when Mae decided she didn't want to go that route, the floss would not come off!

I came into the room at this point, with the video camera, only to find Mae freaking out and crying because the floss was tied tight and there was no removing it with the tooth intact. I gently looked at it and decided I would cut the floss as close to the knot as possible. However, I had no sooner turned my back on my crying child to get the scissors, then I heard laughing.

Laughing? But she was in the pit of despair, like two seconds ago!

When I had turned my back, Mae was on her way down the pit and was leaning/falling backwards in her despair, when the loose end of the floss got caught on her foot. When there was no more slack left in the floss the tooth came out! And presto change-o Mae went from misery to a gleefully happy girl!

So much for the tie-the-string-close-the-door trick! Maybe next time.