Tooth Fairy

             My daughter lost yet another tooth today!  This reminded me that I had written a whole page about the tooth fairy a few years ago. So after a few edits, here it is.

            Nowadays,Tooth fairy is a big deal in my house. We have welcomed her or him (in case this is 'The Rock, Mr. Dwayne Johnson......you know the guy from the tooth fairy movie? )several times with my older son's teeth episodes and have joyfully ventured into my younger daughter's journey, so to speak.

            A few years ago, I was oblivious to this concept of the tooth fairy. My older son was at the verge of losing his first baby tooth when my baby girl was just beginning to teeth! A few years into our living in the US, I remember vividly, the first time my son mentioned ' the tooth fairy'. "Mom, everyone in school's telling me the tooth fairy is going to visit me soon", he casually said.

                                              "WHO?   WHAT?    WHY?"

            As any quick thinking 'international' mother would do, I did my research and delivered!! I made arrangements and the tooth fairy left a whopping dollar under my son's pillow. Phew! Dodged a bullet there.

            Now what I did not know was, the fairy was expected to come every time a tooth was lost. Seriously? The second time, she left 5 dollars under his pillow. My best guess is, she did not have change because she probably did not know my son was going to lose his tooth over dinner and she probably did not have time to run to the store to get some change. That 5 dollar thingy stopped right there. I made sure the tooth fairy never did that again. I even left a note that said, "One dollar would be enough, fairy" and had my son sign it.

            She showed up even when my son swallowed a tooth and went into a frenzy of what would happen to his tummy. Very uncalled for and quite unexpected, she came anyway. Left a dollar! and made my son's day. She was consistent however, until he started losing his molars....... and let me ask you do they not count????  Don't molars matter? Are they not teeth? Because she DID NOT SHOW UP-much to my son's dismay. Ugh! How dare she forget? But after numerous notes, she came one day and left a little something. But my son was over it by then. It took a bit of prodding from my family's side to convince my son to actually look under his pillow. Lo and behold! She had come and she had left a dollar.....just like mommy had guessed. Thank you, tooth fairy. For changing me from a 'What is a tooth fairy?"  to "I can make her show up tonight". I think I am a pro at this now. I really,really hope she has that dollar that needs to be put under my daughter's pillow tonight.

            All I had growing up was ,"You lost your teeth? OOH the flood gates are open." or "Is that the gateway of India?" or " Did you drop it off at the cleaners?" I can't wait to mention the 'tooth fairy' to my relatives in India or mention that there is actually a pillow you can buy which comes with a pocket to put the tooth in! Just can't wait. I wonder how much money every kid makes just by virtue of losing baby teeth that is bound to fall out anyway. Should those funds just be redirected to 'the braces funds' which is probably the next 'teeth' event in the next few years?!

 

 

Football

        I am careful these days to mention that my kids play Soccer to my American friends and properly say that they play Football when I talk to my Indian relatives. If that wasn't confusing enough, here is another: Indian Football in not American Football. Indian Football is American Soccer. Phew!

          But my confusion lingers even after all these years after I moved to the US, because, in what we call football in India(or Europe), we actually use our feet to kick the ball around. If it touches the hand, it is called a hand ball and the play is stopped for further review or a penalty kick.  But here in the United States, in the game of Football,the football is thrown by the quarterback(using his hand), caught by a running back or a wide receiver(using his hands) and  is carried in the crook of his elbows(!) as he runs to make a Touchdown.  As this happens the defense is trying to push away the offense, using their strong hands. In case of an interception, the ball is caught by a player of the opposite team using his very hands. The punting and the field goals, as far as I know, are the only times when the kickers use their feet!!!

So why the name Football?  I ask.

          While this question still remains unanswered , I do find a few other things in Football intriguing, to say the least. I find the fact that the Quarterbacks get instructions thru' out their play, very fascinating. What is competitive about being coached as you play?  Any other sport has the coaches in the sidelines jumping up and down while Football QBs enjoy the luxury of advice, it seems, as they play.

          Next, is the amount a team is willing to pay a QB when the country in swarming in an economic crisis......... A number beyond my comprehension. A number beyond logic and reason. How come they don't ever take a pay cut? Why are football game tickets so expensive?  Why are cheerleaders such a huge part of a Football team? Why is the food sold at  the concession stand so expensive? Why do people love Football so much, they rush home soon after church to watch it? What does Football do that has this country wrapped around its little finger?

Hmmmmm.  Could this tinge of bitterness be out of resentment now that I am forced to settle for a small TV while my husband has encroached the 40" TV to watch his favorite Football team get crushed? Or could it be that my family that has strict TV times and strict bed times, has all the rules broken on a day that Football is aired? or could it be the fact, since Tebow is not tebowing in my home state anymore, or anywhere for that matter, my newfound interest in football suddenly waned?

          So as I grumble about my husband's distraction and mutter my way to bed, I hear an occasional YES and then many "oh no"s and several hours later a dejected hubby climbs into bed explaining how things could have been different and what they should have done. It has recently just dawned on me, I am that American wife that complains about her football addicted husband.

          After all the whining, I am proud to declare that my family and I  are now ardent Seahawks fans these days. Even after that heart wrenching interception Super bowl loss that very last second! What if it's a 1-2 start this year....... There is still hope! If deflategate can disappear into thin air, and Brady's suspension can be overturned, I guess anything can happen! Go Hawks!

          We can handle American Football and FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.  As far we are concerned, Messi, Brady, Neymar, Wilson, Suarez and Rodgers all play Football. Now to work on getting them all in one fantasy team!!!