Smith Family Weblog

Bryan snapped these photos as the girls carved their pumpkins Monday night. We’re looking forward to costumes, trick-or-treating and several fun events today. More photos to come!

It’s spirit week at Ava’s school, and so she’s sporting a rather serious ‘stache.

It’s not spirit week at Olivia’s school, but that didn’t stop her this morning.

A few weeks ago, Olivia came tearing downstairs, completely tripping over her limbs and words, frantic to tell us what she had just discovered in her room:

She wasn’t entirely sure what it was, but she loved my hypothesis: The Tooth Fairy was visiting so frequently, she needed to install her own special entrance.

While Ava stood by, arms crossed and a very skeptical look on her face, Olivia engaged me in what is most certainly one of my very favorite parenting moments to date. Her excitement was beyond measure, and she was immediately convinced that the Tooth Fairy was now living permanently within the walls of our house.

While Ava checked the exterior of our home for a like entrance on the outside, Olivia phoned Bryan (who was away on a trip for work). She could hardly get the words out, and I imagine it was quite a struggle for Bryan to understand exactly what was going on.

Both girls decided to take a closer look, peering into the tiny keyhole, hoping to find a few clues.

Ava wasn’t sure if it really was the work of the Tooth Fairy, or if instead I was responsible for this new addition. I told her that magic is all around us, and she just needed to embrace the fact that we were the happy recipients of something truly amazing.

She tested this theory by leaving a note for the Tooth Fairy by the door, instructing her as to the location of her recently lost tooth. She reasoned that if the Tooth Fairy found the note, and then found the tooth, she had indeed made use of this new entrance.

The following morning, coins were in place of the tooth, the note was gone, and there was a sprinkling of fairy dust on the the threshold of the door.

Ava was convinced.

Sometimes, I think we don’t shoot nearly enough video of the kids. And then I remember that no one wants to listen to the soundtrack bickering and complaining. Doesn’t it look far more idyllic in the still image?