I'll eventually get around to where I've been for the last year (if for no other reason than to document it and hopefully get a few laughs). But it veered mostly between lots of pain and lots of annoyance. I'm trying to decide if I should name names, with the doctors. At the least, I'll get into where you can find the one who called me "sweetie".
But first, some year in review stuff, and of course, the best thing of the year was the kiddo. Because she's awesome.
This is the best thing, I think. That's her, face down and asleep with a book. She's started reading voraciously, mostly YA novels. I started the European tradition of letting her open a book gift on Christmas Eve, and allowing her to stay up as late as she liked, reading. Most weekends she'll fall asleep reading in the evenings. It's awesome.
There was a thing I'm having trouble adjusting to, though.
She's got all these OPINIONS all of a sudden. (No, really, it's a hoot.)
She turned nine. After a week of not being able to make up her mind, at the last minute, she asked for the same cake I always make.
And, big one, SHE IS WEARING MY CLOTHES.
Granted, the shirt is from the Skinny Years, and the boots were tight, but. THOSE ARE MY CLOTHES. How did this happen? (I totally earned Mom Points though, she told me half an hour before the bus that she needed a "Hawaiian shirt" to wear. OH LOOK WHO HAS A COLLECTION.)
She finally learned to swim, thank the gods. And she started piano lessons a couple weeks ago. (Husbeast and I have been debating... is it wrong to push your kid - into band, in our case - when we're pushing them toward something FUN?)
Lately, she's been yelling "MOM, I'M HOME." every afternoon on the front walk before coming inside. I guess so the neighbors know too? Whatever, it's adorable.
Another landmark this year, though not a positive one like the others.
Emergency room trip. That there's an infected salivary gland. (Honestly. When does anyone do anything normal in this house? Forget strep throat or tonsillitis, no, let's puff up like a lopsided hamster instead.) Usually that doesn't warrant an ER trip, but that puff up there appeared in a single hour. That thing where you're freaked out, but you can't freak out or your kid will freak out? Definitely a suckier side of parenting. We went to the children's hospital. They prescribed antibiotics and Sour Patch Kids candy. I wish I were kidding. The sour makes the salivary glands work over time, which is good. But. How many kids in the world go to the ER and come home with a prescription for candy? SERIOUSLY?
But yeah, the year in Goobie. She's chugging along, nothing gets her down for long. Of course, when you lead a charmed life with prescriptions for candy, life is pretty good.
Oh, and she went as Bubbles at Halloween
We spent the two weeks ahead of the holiday, while I was making the costume, singing the theme song. Doot doot do do dee doo do!
12 comments:
Oh my goodness she is growing up beautiful. Staying calm when your kid is hurt/sick/has an unknown swelling is indeed one of the suckier sides of parenting.
Push her towards band - we did and all our kids appreciated it. :) Glad you're back.
Great to have news of her! When you said "she has opinions" I laughed; of course! Look whose daughter she is! Glad, glad, glad you're back.
Who are you trying to fool? The Goob was born with opinions. I know how that is because my precious daughter pushed herself off my shoulder in the delivery room to look around. She is absolutely beautiful.
I'm so glad you are back! We've missed you.
Glad you are posting again. Always good to read your opinions. And now your kid's.
Has the Goob read "Harry Potter" or any of the "Redwall" books yet? My kids grew up with those, and I also enjoyed them.
What are you doing about her schooling these days?
As for group music, band, orchestra and choir all have the benefit of teaching teamwork as well as providing a peer group of, you know, actual peers -- not always an easy thing for a bright girl to find.
At 9, DD begged to audition for a children's choir based at a small university here. It was a budgetary strain, but money well spent. She stayed with it and earned her way into the top choirs, who went to England, France, Argentina, Brazil and some cool places domestically. In her ginormous high school, she was just part of the herd, but choir gave her a place to truly belong and thrive.
Didn't realize how much I missed you and your wonderfully goofy, totally cool family until I read you latest post and saw the pictures of the Goober. Glad you are back and here's to 2015 being a sublimely better year for you and yours. (But seriously, a prescription for CANDY!?) Lucky kiddo!!!
Both boys wear Beloved's pea coats in the winter, and Youngest, wears Beloved's Aloha shirts in the summer. They fit pretty well. It is a matter of pride to see the boys big enough to wear Dad's clothes.
Do you think Goober reads as much as we did?
Oh, hey, possible series of books for the Goob is The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper. They're old-ish, set in England, and they're quest books with kids as the main movers. My kids turned me onto them when they were in middle school and, I confess, I still read them once a year. Over Sea, Under Stone is the first one. Love a kid that reads like crazy.
I can't believe how big she is getting! Thanks for the update on the Goob. Hmmm - wonder where the voracious reading comes from :-)
My two cents on the piano thing: Make her learn an instrument. Doesn't matter which. I really really regret that I was so obnoxious that my mom gave up teaching me piano. Such a skill I managed to weasel myself out of.
My boyfriend on the other hand has played guitar for... probably almost a decade now? Took lessons from some of the best guitarists in the state and at seventeen was doing private lessons for adults (and it takes a lot to make adults pay for music lessons from teenagers so you get kind of an idea how big of a deal this is). Not only can he make a pretty penny at it, it's also great for his emotional well-being to take time out to make some music.
So... do the thing! It'll be good for her and she'll thank you when she's older.
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