Today is National Talk Like a Pirate Day. Arr, ahoy, shiver me timbers! The kids went all out to celebrate this year – last Saturday, Jackson bit down hard on a Lego and knocked out one of his bottom teeth. Although there’s now an ugly gaping hole in his lower gum, I’m not too worried, because after all he’s almost 7 and it’s time for him to start losing teeth. It won’t be long before the new one comes in.

Gracie, never one to be outdone, decided that she wanted to lose a tooth too. At daycare Wednesday, she pulled out one of her bottom teeth. We’re not sure how she did it, but knowing her she listened carefully as we were talking about Jackson’s tooth and knew that biting hard on something could knock out a tooth. In the process of pulling out her tooth, she loosened the two on either side of the one that’s gone, so pretty soon she will have three missing teeth. Unlike her brother who will get his tooth back within months, she will have three missing teeth for two or three years.

It’s awful to see her smile. Every time I see the gaping hole in the bottom of her mouth, my stomach turns. The worst part of it, though, is that we thought she could feel her mouth. Turns out she can’t – she assured us that it didn’t hurt at all when she removed her tooth.

Either her condition is worsening or she has never been able to feel pain in her mouth. Although I believe her condition may be worsening, I am remembering how she was never bothered by teething and how she got a cut on her tongue once when she was about 1 1/2 and it didn’t bother her at all. We don’t really know whether she’s worsening or has always been this bad. Now, though, in addition to trying to keep her fingers from infection, we have mouth wounds to worry about too.

This kid is going to give me a heart attack.