What Child is This?
Friends, you’ve stuck with me while I’ve whipped myself into a panic attack over my daughters, who might just become maladaptive bag ladies or one of those weird old women that live in that creepy house down the street with all those cats. Last weekend was further fuel for another bout of Momanxiety when, after a perfectly wonderful afternoon at the Oriental Theater watching “Wicked” with my parents, the girls had an unexplainable meltdown argument after dinner and sat there angrily staring off into space, chewing the heck out of their fingernails. And when there’s six people crammed into a private booth at the Italian Village restaurant, even one angry person makes for a very uncomfortable little room.
But this weekend. Oh my. I don’t know the children that were at my house.
The Big Guy’s mom, brother and sister-in-law came to stay for Easter, this being their first visit since we got married 3 1/2 years ago. At dinner Friday night, my Little One was pleasant and happy to see everyone. She looked people in the eye when she talked to them, instead of fidgeting and staring off into space while giving one-syllable answers.
When we were finished eating, I whispered to her to help me clear the table. Her version of helping usually consists of removing one item from the table before suddenly having the urge to go to the bathroom or make an important phone call. But this time she collected everyone’s plates and kept clearing until the job was done. I considered taking her temperature or checking her fingerprints to see if she really was my child.
Saturday First Born came over for breakfast and stayed all day. My sister-in-law taught us how to make homemade greeting cards and we were all hooked. In fact, the word might be obsessed. We only stopped after the men became completely bored with ESPN, so you can imagine how long we were carding.
We went to First Born’s restaurant for dinner and she served us impeccably, teasing, laughing, and hugging me repeatedly. She sent friends over to be introduced to her family. Sunday the girls decided not to go to church with us, but later they played some new card games their Aunt Chris showed them rather than escaping to a bedroom to watch TV, and helped with Easter dinner.
It was amazing. They acted so…well…adult! In fact Little One was so engaging that it didn’t seem to matter to her 90-year-old small town Iowa grandmother that she was heavily steeped in black and wore a lot of piercings.
Today I’m rejoicing. I see that they somehow stored up those lessons in good social skills and proper manners, even when it appeared that they were tuned into some far radio signal in their minds while rolling their eyes and sighing.
I’m rejoicing for another reason, too. Now that I know they can behave, I will set the expectation that they will behave.
Published by angelawd on March 25th, 2008 tagged Abnormal Motherhood
March 25th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Wow! What a great sounding weekend. Maybe there’s hope that my teen will one day be that involved and engaging. I hope, I hope, I hope, …
March 25th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Thanks, Josie! There’s always hope.
March 25th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Oh they learn the lessons; they just don’t always let you see it. Glad you had such a great weekend!
March 25th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Sounds like a nice weekend. I need to make my own greeting cards.
March 26th, 2008 at 1:59 am
That’s good, I like that. Raised the bar on themselves, they did! And what a wonderful time to prove that they could. As if you didn’t already know. I’m smiling ear to ear for you, Angela.
That’s a lotta card making, sounds a little like my obsession with digi scrapping! Hope to see some photos of your work posted…but only with a guarantee that I will not get hooked.
March 26th, 2008 at 2:00 am
Yeah! One victory to celebrate. Isn’t it amazing when they surprise you? Ahh.A motherhood and apple pie moment. (Few and far between?)
March 26th, 2008 at 2:02 am
BTW - your blog looks GREAT! Very clean and pleasing to the eye.
March 26th, 2008 at 9:39 am
you have a great blog here
March 26th, 2008 at 11:26 am
This is the very reason we blog, to share the bad and GREAT moments! What an extra Easter blessing you had . . . there must have been something in the air as mine too were well behaved for all the festivities.
May there be many more such happy events!
March 26th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Thanks for rejoicing with me, everybody!
Stacey, I’ll post card pics soon, but I can’t guarantee that you won’t become addicted!
Pamela, I can’t believe how easy it was to make cards.
Troubled, Mary, glad you like the new look!
April 7th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
I think this qualifies as a Miracle Monday
post! LOL! Congratulations, Mom. You have just glimpsed life on the other side of hell. ;o) Hang in there - more will come.
April 7th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
Now that’s some miracle!
April 8th, 2008 at 1:37 am
Thanks for sharing your miracle sweetie.