MOMS: Don't quit your day job, Tooth Fairy

Seven years ago when I found out I was having twins — at my second sonogram appointment, not my first one, mind you — my initial thought was absolute terror. I couldn't imagine one baby growing inside me, let alone two.

Suddenly what was once doable seemed overwhelming — would a double stroller fit in our building's small elevator? Where would we put two cribs? Sixteen bottles a day? Twenty diapers a day? We had so many questions and there were plenty of well-meaning people and books doling out the advice about how to handle the realities of two babies invading at once. And, we got through it. We handled all of that stuff, weeded out what was seemingly "necessary" for one, but ridiculous for two. Along the way we somehow managed the double nursery school tuition and the insane kindergarten application process. Now twindom seems old hat and as our friends have had more kids, it's all evened out. Or so we thought.

My daughters are identical twins and so their teeth became loose at the same time. But one of them had to be first, so when she bit into an apple at school and out popped that bottom tooth she was not just thrilled, she was triumphant. The Tooth Fairy would come to our home for the first time and it was all for her! My husband and I were so excited to play Tooth Fairy that we both crept into her room that night. We were giddy. This was a milestone, a serious rite of passage for her and for us and we went large — a Webkinz and a $10 bill. She woke up in the morning and put an Oscar winner to shame with her sheer joy, surprise and excitement. So strong was her belief in the Tooth Fairy that when her grandparents offered her some money the next day as a bonus for the lost tooth she wouldn't take it. It had to come from the Tooth Fairy or it didn't count. When her sister lost her tooth a week later, in the airport, it was the same thing all over again — bliss, anticipation and utter happiness.

Then, the next one fell out. Then the next one. Then the next one ... You get the idea. No one warns you in all of those twin books that you will suddenly be on Tooth Fairy duty at least once a month. So, 10 teeth into this job, I guess it was inevitable that one night the Tooth Fairy would forget. That's right. One night the Tooth Fairy just didn't show up. Now, in the Tooth Fairy's defense, my daughter lost her tooth the night before a big family vacation. There was a lot of packing and organizing and printing of boarding passes going on. But, still. In the morning my daughters threw open our bedroom door and with a look of pure horror in their wide eyes screamed, "The Tooth Fairy didn't come last night!!!"