"Who cares!"

"Who cares!"

Those two little words can mean so much. 

My eight year old has grown increasingly irritated with her 5-year-old sister. Who knows if it's peers or age or both. I'm no psychologist.

But I'm thinking Samantha learned a good lesson tonight. 

Last weekend I bought Alyssa a desk at a garage sale. She was so excited--a desk just like sissy's. I painted it and put it back in her room. Today I added the handles and lined the drawers. Alyssa was so excited. 

So after ballet, Alyssa ran to her room, waiting to show Sissy her new, finished desk. Samantha rolled her eyes and mumbled audibly, "Who cares!" Samantha did follow and take a peak but then proceeded to her room with a sigh.

Tonight before bed, I asked Al if he had seen Alyssa's finished desk yet. So we followed Alyssa to her room and Al asked if Samantha wanted to see it. There may have been eye rolling or a "who cares" somewhere between the kitchen and her bedroom. Alyssa's response was "It's okay, Dad. Sissy doesn't love me." It was so very nonchalant. 

Samantha just stood in the doorway, stunned. I looked at her as I was clearing off Alyssa's bed and said, "It hurts, huh?

"When you roll your eyes or say 'Who cares!' it doesn't go unnoticed."

Samantha put herself to bed. 

After I kissed Alyssa I went into Samantha's room to find her buried under the covers, crying and hurt. Of course she loves her sister.

It won't stop the eye rolling or the sighing, but maybe Samantha will attempt to hold her tongue.

Parenting

Never doubt the lengths a parent will go through to make his child feel accepted, loved, secure, and confident. 

Last weekend I finally made good on my mom's birthday present: a painting workshop using Annie Sloan chalk paints at Loot in Soquel. We could not have asked for a better day--it was 75 in Soquel! It ended up just the two of us with the instructor and we got to play with paint. It was the perfect day to spend, pre-Mother's Day, together doing something we both enjoy. 

While we were there my phone beeped with a picture of my daughter, with a numbered sticker on her chest. So Al had something up his sleeve, eh?! As it turns out, Al had been conversing with the producer about allowing Samantha to watch the audition process so she'd understand what to do next time. As they were leaving, Al thanked the producer and Samantha blurted, "My dad would make a great Shrek! He looks just like him." Next thing you know Al and Samantha have numbered stickers on their chests. 

They both sang and Al read some lines from Shrek the Musical. That night they got a call--they both got parts. Al is Lord Farquad's henchman, Thelonius, and Samantha is Little Bo Peep.

In my opinion, this is the best mother's day gift I've received yet: my husband, taking this step with Samantha, giving her the confidence to audition. She's wanted to do this for so long, but shies up when the time comes around. She's such a social butterfly! 

The next three months will be busy with rehearsals 4 days a week, but Alyssa and I are ready to take on the early dinners together to help them on their way. 

I'm so proud of my Thelonius and Little Bo Peep!

Not Enough Time

Nearly 6 months have gone by without so much as a peep from me. I haven't even had time to read my favorite blog links!

Life with two kids, softball, dance, and two jobs keeps us scheduled for the basics, but not much else. We've taken to scheduling even our meals, otherwise we end up eating dinner at 8. That doesn't work too well with 7:30 bed time.

And here we are in May, softball finished today and Saturday dance recital practices are just beginning; there are only three weeks left of preschool and a month left for Samantha.

And faster than the days move, the girls are changing. I've watched my confident 7 year old become shy and embarrassed. It's painful to watch, but it seems to be part of life for a second grader. I honestly can't remember a time when I didn't know what embarrassed meant. And she's growing so much--feet only two sizes away from mine!

Alyssa has become a beautiful little dancer. She's always dancing and anxiously awaiting her time back on "the big stage." She's dancing her recital dance to the same Tinker Bell song Samantha danced for her first recital, which makes it so special for me.


For now, Al and I try to take all the quiet time with the girls we can get--even if it means watching crazy improv dances for an hour every night!