Mama's the toothfairy

The other day, Lucy said to me, "Mom, I know you're the tooth fairy." I denied it at first because I wanted to preserve her youthful innocence a little while longer. Then she said to me again later that day, "Mom, I do know you're the tooth fairy, because Grace told me so." Augh! Grace!

She looked at me with that knowing smile that she had "caught me" and I finally admitted, "Ok Lucy, I am the tooth fairy." She looked at me, startled, and said, "You ARE????"
"Yes," I said, and then I figured she was going to also figure out that I'm "Santa Clause" too. She persisted, "You're the tooth fairy? You really are??"

So now I was wondering why she was trying to get me to admit it what I had already admitted. It was like putting salt in a wound. So I said a little sarcastically, "Yes, Lucy. I am the tooth fairy. After I put you guys to bed, instead of putting my feet up and relaxing at night, I go to all the children's houses and steal their teeth and replace it with money."

Then Lucy jumped up and clapped her hands and said, "Oh my gosh! I can't believe it! My Mom is the tooth fairy! I can't believe it! Wait until I tell my friends!" I blinked and then realized that she didn't figure out that there is no tooth fairy, but had actually thought that Grace was telling her that I was THE tooth fairy!

I stopped her and said, "Wait Lucy. I was just kidding. I'm not really the tooth fairy."

Her face fell. She said, "You're not? So the tooth fairy is just really a fairy?"

"Um...yeah. I guess so."

"Darn. That would have been SO COOL if my Mama was the tooth fairy." And she walked away.

So not only do I have the assurance that I still have Lucy's youthful innocence, but it looks like it might be sticking around a little longer than I thought.