Proud.
I turned 43 three days ago, and I think I’m still recovering from it. The week leading up to it was busier than usual, with two play dates, a dance rehearsal, a movie night disaster, a track meet, a kindergarten orientation, ending with a dance recital and Mother’s Day.
The week started with both girls going to a play date after school with a girl from the Lady’s class who also has a little sister the same age as the Babe, they all get along really well. To watch them is so cute, especially the younger ones because they hold hands and hug a lot. When I went to go pick them up, the girls were complimented on how polite they are, and I was glad. It’s always nice to hear they know how to behave with others outside of the home.
The other play date that week was with a boy that the Lady has been talking on the phone with and is in her class. Yup, the phone calls have already started and she’s only 7! But the Boy is super sweet and hey, when I was her age my best friend was a boy too and I think it’s kinda cool. When I arrived to get the Lady, I was invited in for a glass of wine, I thought, why not? I had two glasses, some great conversation, and realized after the first glass that I’m a total lightweight and actually got tipsy! Fun! Such a fantastic family, they also have an older daughter that wants to be a chef, so we made plans to cook together soon. Definitely made some new friends, hopefully they still like me after revealing my lightweight status. They like the Lady very much, and again I was given a glowing report about how good my girl is, another proud moment.
In the middle of the week there was a movie night at the Lady’s school and I was going to take the girls and one of their friends and meet up with my brother’s family. I was looking forward to it mainly because there was going to be pizza and I wouldn’t have to make dinner. It was time to leave so I told them to get ready, and the Babe decides that she doesn’t want to go, starts yelling and runs into her room and closes the door. I tried to bribe her, telling her about all the pizza, popcorn and candy we’d be having, but nothing. She did not budge. Of course the Lady starts crying, I’m texting my friend whose daughter I was supposed to take, feeling so bad that I had to bail at the last second. Then I started crying because everyone else is crying, it’s a mess. The best I could do was order a pizza and watch a movie here, and to my amazement, my Lady calmed quickly, and although disappointed, was very understanding and mature about it. The Babe was still a handful for the rest of the night, but the Lady was helpful and sweet.
My birthday was the day of the Lady’s dance recital, where she had two routines, one modern, one ballet. On the rehearsal day I missed watching the routines because the Babe kept wanting to be on stage herself and made too much noise, so I took her out, so on my birthday I’d be seeing the Lady dance not knowing what to expect. The modern one was cute, and she was good, but the ballet one, oh god, the ballet one was so effing amazing, to see her so focused, elegant and graceful, I cried like a baby. Proud is not a big enough word to describe how I felt. It was the best birthday gift I could ever receive.
And the Babe? I was honestly afraid that I would miss the show again because of how she was for the rehearsal, but she sat and watched the whole show! It was long for her, so long that she actually dozed off near the end, but she rocked it! Proud and grateful.
My heart grew bigger and we all grew up a little this week, and even with the tough moments, my family is closer than ever. I am a proud mama.