The Elf & The Fairy

THE ELF



On December 1st (2009) this book arrived at our house courtesy of Ma-Ma Linda and Pa-Pa Cowboy.
Lin-Ley read the book aloud to us. In summary, apparently there is an elf that visits your house each year before Christmas to report your good and/or bad behavior to Santa.
Who knew? We had never seen an elf at our house!










We discussed the book and the rules regarding the elf should he appear at our house:
* The elf appears in the house by magic.
* The elf can not talk to us but we can talk to him.
* You can not touch the elf or his magical powers will go away.
* The elf leaves each night to report his findings to Santa.
* After Christmas the elf goes back to live with Santa in the North Pole until Santa begins making his naughty and nice list for next Christmas.

Lin-Ley really liked the story and was wondering why we had never had an elf visit our house. Then we discussed that perhaps we did have an elf in our house previously but just did not see him. She then decided, since she then knew that such elves existed, that she should look around the house very closely just in case we had over looked him.


After about 10 minutes she found an elf! She instantly began introducing herself and telling him about Tru and herself (including the fact that they were from China). (That is always a part of Lin-Ley's self introduction.)

The elf was soon named Jacob.

Throughout the month of December Jacob popped up in a variety of locations to include the kitchen, all bedrooms, hanging from light fixtures, the bathroom, etc, etc.

The kids were always ready to wake up in the mornings to find Jacob. It was a contest to see who could find Jacob first. They were also not shy about tattling to Jacob when they thought the other had been "bad" so that he would tell Santa.

In the end Jacob must have given Santa a good report.


THE FAIRY

Through many dental visits it was discovered that Lin-Ley's baby teeth were delayed. Through the x-rays they could tell that it would be another two years before she would lose any teeth. As Lin-Ley is now 7 years old she was not pleased to hear that!

To all of our surprise, Lin-Ley sprouted a permanent tooth in mid-November. She was thrilled even though the baby tooth still was not loose. Over the weeks she grew anxious about finally having a visit from the Tooth Fairy. She would, on her own, wrap a piece of dental floss around her baby tooth each night and wiggle the tooth.
It finally began to become genuinely loose. I took a turn with the floss and got a little aggresive. I tugged upward and Lin-Ley and I both let out a little yelp as her tooth all but came out. Her eyes were huge! She was excited and scared at the same time. I finally convinced her that I only needed one more little tug and the tooth would be out. In anticipation of the Tooth Fairy's visit she handed over the floss once again. And... it was out!


We cleaned up the tooth and prepared it in the Tooth Fairy pillow that Ma-Ma Shirley had sent years earlier.


For the next several days I (Jody) was known as "The Puller".






The Tooth Fairy was kind and left a $1 gold coin under Lin-Ley's pillow. The next morning, even though she was excited, I could tell she had been expecting more.





Jacob was not happy about being "one-upped" by the Tooth Fairy so the next day he held Lin-Ley's pillow, which contained her tooth, ransom all evening. Since she could not touch Jacob she could not rescue her tooth until the following morning.





Finally... Lin-Ley had joined the Snaggle Tooth Club!










Quote Of The Day:
Lin-Ley
(The morning after the Tooth Fairy's visit and discovering her $1 golden coin.)

"I thought the Tooth Fairy would at least bring me four quarters and maybe a couple dimes!"