Molars

     Our dinner conversations are usually fabulous.  Topics range from "Let's think of some more homophone words," to "we must be twins because we both like to toot!"  Last night the entourage was comparing teeth.  Molly has lost several, her first was right before she turned six.  Blake reassures us that he has at least five that are loose.  Etienne than said, "Well what about my chipped tooth that matches yours?"  E and I both have a chip in the same spot on our front teeth; a very cool similarity in mother and child indeed!  I wiggled it to appease him and sure enough, it was loose.  He than told me "And it hurts back here.
  So I stuck my finger in his mouth as only mamas will do and felt that he did indeed have a molar cutting through.  This is sort of a gray parenting area for me; I vaguely recall Molly getting hers.  So I texted a dentist friend and read the ADA website.

     The first of the adult molars also begin coming through in the back of the mouth around the age of six years; behind all the deciduous teeth.  These will be the first of adult teeth.  http://www.3dmouth.org/6/6_1.cfm

    I know, I know.  There is no "timeline" for growth and development in children.  I tell my families all the time that "normal" is whatever your kid does, when he does it.  If you are a parent that adopted your child outside the US, than I know you know where I am going with this.  I don't have my son's birth certificate.  His age is all speculation and subjective.  So for me, Etienne cutting a molar feels like I missed more of his life. Before he came home, I would sit in my glider, praying that he was being held and loved; and that many of his "first" moments wouldn't happen until his was with his forever family.  In the grand scheme of life, cutting teeth isn't a big deal.  For a mom that is desperate to bond and love and connect with her 4 year old, it means a lot.  I don't have memories of his first steps, first words or laugh.  I will always remember eating chili, listening to gross little boy talk and discovering his first molar.
P.S. E is supposed to be 5 November 24.