Spoiler Alert: Don't let your children read this!

Yesterday, Gwen lost one of her canines... and a little of her childhood magic.

I was walking upstairs with a cup of ice cream, ready to get caught up with a few emails, when Ben and Gwen motioned for me to come into her room.  After I walked in, Gwen looked me straight in the eye and said, "I know there's no Santa Claus or Tooth Fairy".

Before I said anything, I looked over at Ben and gave him the "What have you done?" look.  Who then shrugged and said, "She asked me point blank.  She said, 'Tell me the truth Dad, is Santa Claus real?'  I had to tell her."

I asked Gwen if she was bummed, and she said, "A little".  And then proceeded to tell us that she had known (or at least suspected) for a long time because there were lots of things that didn't make sense.  Like how could Santa actually deliver all the gifts to all the children in the whole world.  Or like how this last Christmas, when she opened her "Bop It" from Santa, I said, "I knew that you had wanted one after you played with Brenna's" (oops :0) or like how we told her that the Tooth Fairy didn't leave money one time because the window was closed, but then the next time, when she wanted to leave the window open for the Tooth Fairy, we told her that the Tooth Fairy had special dust in her wand that made her able to get through closed windows on cold nights. Or how her naughty friends actually got really cool gifts on Christmas rather than coal.  It now all made sense.  But she promised to keep the magic alive for Kennedy and Ty.  And I know she will.

I then looked at her tooth sitting on her nightstand and asked, "Well, do you just want me to give you the cash in the morning?"

The three of us chuckled at that one (and Gwen said yes), but I'd be lying, if I said I wasn't a little bummed too.  And I'm not sure exactly why.  It's not like we made a big deal of Santa or any of the fairies.  But maybe it's because I liked sneaking in my kids' rooms at night, trying to exchange money for a tooth without waking them.  Or maybe I just liked sneaking into Gwen's.  And that this latest "revelation" kinda feels like someone just pushed the fast forward button on our time with her.

Anyways, here's the culprits.

And note to self: Ben's a huge ol' sucker for his daughter.

But I know why. :)

And I need to remember, that even though Gwen just bid adieu to the Tooth Fairy and Co, 

she will be greeting and embracing many new and exciting experiences.

Oh, and if you need me, I'll be bawling my eyes out in the bathroom... ;)