A long time ago, before the thought of having children ever popped into my mind - I was a self proclaimed Facebook stalker. I recall spending countless hours staring at my computer screen, reading useless information about the girls and boys in my past and present.
During one of my "stalking" sessions, I came across the profile of a girl I used to play with when I was younger, Lynsey Phillips. Lynsey as it turns out recently had a baby girl she named Olyvia.
One of her memorable quotes in the basic information section on her page said her daughter was "a toothless wonder." At the time, I thought "Wow, what a good way to describe a little baby." A baby can be many things, a toothless wonder just sums it up perfectly.
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Now where am I going with this? Well, it all began with a phone call from Jeremy last week.
I was at work, thinking about the weekend and the wedding I was planning on attending the following day. I tend to make plans as I go, not in advance as I should, so I wasn't really sure how the weekend was going to pan out.
I received a phone call about 6:30 p.m. on May 15 - it was Jeremy. He assured me that he would be leaving Somerset shortly and I would be seeing him and Emma within the next couple of hours.
Before he hung up, he added, "Oh, by the way, I have a surprise for you." And me being the selfish person I am, immediately thought Jeremy bought me a lavish present.
"Is it chocolate?" I inquired. "No," he replied.
Well it it's not chocolate, I'm not sure I want to know, I thought.
"Is it flowers?" "Nope, not flowers either," he said.
That's OK, flowers die - I know, I really am callous.
"Well, give me three clues," I said.
"Some are sharp, some are white and they come in all different sizes," he said.
For about five seconds, I just looked at my computer screen and stared - because honestly, I had no idea what surprise he could have possibly gotten me that is sharp, white and in an array of sizes.
"Is it chocolate?" I said again.
"No, it's not chocolate! Just wait and see," he said.
When Jeremy and Emma arrived later that night, I still wasn't home from work. When I did make it home, I said OK, what's the surprise? Jeremy opened Emma's mouth and placed my finger along her bottom gum line. I felt something sharp, I saw something white and sure enough, I?had my answer! Teeth come in all different sizes!
Little did I know, my daughter had cut her very first tooth! No amount of chocolate or flowers could compare to that.
Ever since my daughter, Emma, began to show any possible signs of teething, I would be the first one to inspect her mouth. These routine inspections started as early as three months old, and now they will finally cease. Emma has officially cut her first tooth.
The little guy came in on May 15, breaking the gum line as a tiny white square - barely visible to the eye, but boy was he ever sharp!
No longer toothless, Emma is still a wonder in my eyes.
Sentinel reporter Tara Maguire can be reached at
