More about Boo-Bear...

This morning went like any other. Boo-Bear took forever getting ready and I took about 5 minutes to get mad. Every day I tell myself I'm not going to let it all get to me and some days I succeed. Today, not so much. She was poky. I was prodding. She poked some more. I prodded a little louder. Then she hit me with the big guns. "Mom, today is the day I have my big report..I need my costume." A COSTUME!!! What did I say....."@#$%@#$^$%%^*#%@#%$^#$%^#$%&#^*$%^*!!!" Ahem. No, actually my face popped off and rolled around the room. Then she told me....30 minutes before she was due at school that I..."I" forgot to make her the corn bread and they need it for their report. My face popped off again and rolled out the door. Oh boy. I may have yelled a little and told her that it took her almost 11 years but she broke me. I. Was. Broken. I also may have told her that she was on her own from now on, in the morning, and that she was no longer allowed to come in the room...that she was old enough to get herself ready. All the while she is standing there not saying anything, biting her lip, tears running down her face.

Yep, I suck.

I have told them many a time that they are not allowed to remember stuff the morning of. If they do then they are out of luck. I had a couple of adashis coming to fix some stuff in the house. I had gone through the hour long explanation party where they don't understand a word I say and I don't understand what they say. I was not about to let this appt go. I got myself together and told her she could be late a couple of minutes for school and then hurried to make some cornbread. She was so appreciative. She tells me..."Mom, I'm sorry for not remembering. Don't worry that you can't come to our presentation, you never really come to my stuff anyway and it's okay, I love you." Take out heart, stomp on it, spit on it, rub it in the mud, put in back in chest.

Sigh. The cornbread came out really good. I wrapped it up and she gave me a huge hug, thanked me and then hustled to school. The adashis came early. They were done by 9. Her presentation started at 9:20. I warred with myself whether to go or not. Should I teach her a lesson?? Should I stand firm?? It took me all of 5 minutes to cave and run out the door. Yep, my name is Dawn and I am a marshmallow parent. I walked in her classroom and as she looked up to do a double take that I actually came, her face lit up and she yelled out "Momma!!" I got the biggest hug. I watched her performance, she sang a solo. I sat there in that hot classroom for an hour watching a bazillion 5th graders do skits on the civil war. It was a little bit of Heaven. I was the only parent that showed. Yeah, my name is Dawn and I ROCK! When I left I got the biggest hug. Then I floated all the way home and my girl had the best day ever.
Tomorrow, when she wakes up to get ready for school, she will be poky. I'll prod. She will poke some more and I'll prod a little harder. We are oil and water she and I.

I wouldn't trade her for all the tea in China.