Growing up so soon?

While away on our Easter get away I got a rather big surprise....

While in the car -

Orlando announces " Mum I have something stuck at the back of my teeth! I think it is a tooth...."
Mum - "A tooth! No it will just be some of your brekky, you didn't brush your teeth"
Orlando - "No I'm pretty sure it's a tooth, maybe I'm growing more like Matilda does?"
Mum - " Let me feel..." Right... A TOOTH!!!! WHAT!!!! HE'S ONLY 4!!! "Wow! It does feel like a tooth. Maybe one of your teeth are getting ready to fall out. That's a surprise!" OMG WHAT A HUGE SURPRISE!!! We haven't has 'that' chat yet!
long silence ...........
Orlando - "Mum I'm feeling a bit worried about loosing my tooth, what will I eat with? How will I bite my food? Will I have to get fake ones like Poppy? Didn't I brush them well enough?"

This was the talk I had missed, as I stupidly thought I had a little time before my 4 year old lost his baby teeth!! We had no hints, no wobbly teeth, nothing! Now we have a adult tooth behind Orlando's baby tooth, which upon a little investigating is normal and fondly called "Shark Teeth" which Orlando thinks is VERY cool (now that his worries have been alleviated) The baby tooth is a little wobbly and apparently will fall out in the next few weeks.

All these worries alleviated but I on the other hand......

MY LITTLE BOY!!!! I don't know if I'm ready for this! There is no doubt now that my little man is a little man no longer :( once this baby tooth comes out he will look so different! I'm in a bit of shock!This year Orlando has started attending Preschool 5 days a week and I have noticed a real shift in his focus. The world and community at Preschool are so important to him and I feel the 'apron strings' stretching. I feel blessed that his Preschool is AMAZING and a wondrous place to spend time.

I have always seen my role as a warm place for the kids to feel secure and nurtured and that I would be happy to see them move from my lap to explore the world. As an educator I adore observing the way they explore the world but they always come back to the comfort of a cuddle. With Orlando this is changing. He still comes for a cuddle but not as much and for different reasons. I am happy to see this, but my heart strings are definitely feeling the pull...