just as fun the second time

Ella, my middle baby, has a loose tooth. . .discovered tonight at cousin Grace's house during dinnertime. The excitement spread around everyone as they all took turns seeing the wiggly tooth. It's already quite loose and I don't think it will be long until my little Ellie will have a gap on the bottom of her smile.

Mothers with more than one child know that sometimes the pace of life moves at the speed of the eldest. Our first baby was our first child to walk, to talk, to learn to read. Life as the second, third or other middle is just naturally different as we as parents are sometimes "on to the next thing" with the older children. But I can't help but marvel as things with my younger children are just as fun the second or third time around. Ella is so excited to have a loose tooth and in fact, has been hoping to find one for several months. And it's just like when Madelyn lost her first tooth. . .except it's my second girl, my Ellie. The fun, the excitement and the joy. We're going to shop for some material to make a tooth pillow soon, just her and I. She gets to pick it out and sew it with Mama's help. And we're going to have a real photo shoot tomorrow before her baby girl smile gives way to another piece of girlhood.

awkward smile showing the loose one (the left middle)