6 posts tagged “singing”
Well, let me tell you. My daughter is learning about insects. Here, I will have her show you what she knows:
This kills me every time. The little fingers at the side. The abdomen patting. The weird little buggy thing she does after the first time she says "sometimes wings." All of it. Plus, she really does know what an insect is. Yesterday, I saw a big spider in the corner, and I yelled "Eeeek! An insect!" And she turned to me, rolled her eyes, and chided, "Mo -om, that's an arachnid, not an insect!"
This past Thursday, Maggie's preschool had their graduation ceremony for the kids who will be entering Kindergarten in the fall. It was so sweet. They really put a lot of effort into making it special for the kids and the parents. Maggie really seemed to appreciate the importance of the ritual. She was talking about it all week, leading up to the event. "Mom, only three more days 'til graduation!" Then two, then one...On the day before graduation, we painted our toenails together. I have been telling her that only big girls get to have that privilege. So, on Wednesday night, we had a big toenail painting ceremony. I let her pick out the color at Walgreen's (The choices were like, "pale pink", "shell", and "pink whisper" honestly, unless you look really really hard, you don't even see it.) Anyway, she thought it was GREAT. So that was fun. Then, on Thursday morning, she climbed up in bed with us, and gave me a snuggle. I could feel her little face looking into mine. I opened my eyes and she was smiling the biggest grin. "Mama, guess what day it is... Graduation day!" Of course, the actual ceremony wasn't until 6:30 that night, so it was a long day.
Finally finally finally, it was time. Gramy and Grampy came down to Fremont for the party and Kevin left work early to be there. We got Maggie into her "graduation gown" (Men's short sleeve button down shirts from - literally- the 50s). And put on one of the mortar boards from the box on the table. We also had to make sure she had her own personal kazoo. (That was part of the entertainment, natch)
1) Marble games and rubber bands
Magna-tiles and house forts
Sliding down and holding hands
Baseball games and hockey sports
Chorus:
Remember when you were a kid
and all the things you did?
And that's why we like preschool!
2) Dressing up and puppet play
Water play and painting
Finding worms and Halloween hay
Sidewalk chalk and gardening
Chorus
3) Play dough and lots of sand
Messy art and shaving foam
Singing songs and marching band
Riding bikes and monkey dome
Chorus X2
After the singing came the diplomas. The kids were so cute. They went up the little riser, hugged their teacher and got their "degree".
This past year has been such a joy. Maggie (she has told me she wants to be referred to as "Margaret" in Kindergarten, thank you very much...) got so much out of the whole preschool environment. She loved to play with the kids, she loved show and tell (show and tell was on Thursday, and believe you me -- that girl would know on Monday what she was going to take in on Thursday!) She adored her teacher -- oh God, did she love Miss Soozin! Such a people pleaser, my girl. She loved singing, she loved art, she loved games, she loved learning her letters. She is READY. She is ready for kindergarten!
When I am standing in line at the grocery store with Maggie, I am invariably in front of a little old lady. And EVERY time, the senior will say the same thing: "They grow up so fast!" They always say. And look wistfully in Maggie's direction, "Enjoy it, while it happens. She will be grown in the blink of an eye." I know they are right. Four and a half years with my little girl, and it has gone by like that! Sigh. Well, I HAVE been enjoying it. And I can't wait to see what comes next.
My dear four and a half year old has a lot of energy -- and is so very joyful. I feel so lucky to have been able to experience these years with her. She slays me with some of the things she says and does. Here are a few of her antics from the past few days...
Alright, that was posted for the grandparents, mostly. But I thought that highschool friends might appreciate it, too. Lord, this child has grown up so quickly! We must get all of our kids together before they are in highschool themselves!
Happy Birthday, to my dear dear friend, Miss K. Miss Fresnog, Miss Cockeye (Maggie's name for her). What a wonderful thing for all of us that you came into this world 38 years ago today. I love you.
Princess Curls would like to sing you some opera to further celebrate your day. (you may want to go get some earplugs before playing it...)
Yeah, that's me -- a "stay at home" mom. Or if you are internet savvy, you can just call me a SAH mom. I sure never thought I would be in this position. I always figured I would have a job. Just like my mom did. It worked for our family. I don't think I was scarred. In fact, I think it was good for me. To see how my mom and dad worked it out. How they figured out the childcare, the cleaning, the cooking, all of that household stuff. They were pretty 50/50 from what I remember. And I wasn't neglected, not at all. Of course, they had jobs as public school teachers, so that helped, of course. We pretty much went to and got back from school/work at the same time. But still. I must say that I think they handled the whole thing very well. I always thought I would do that, too.
But I don't. I don't have a paying job. I stay home with Maggie. Because Kevin's Software Engineer Job makes enough for us to live comfortably. And I don't need to go get a job at the moment, because whatever job I could get (ie teaching )-- wouldn't make much more than it would cost to put Maggie in day care. Also, Kevin is at work late so often (or in Tokyo for weeks at a time) that having a full time job would be next to impossible these days. So. I am home. And I love it. I really do. Thank God! If I were coming from a high powered lawyer job, or some sort of job that required all kind of adult interaction, and then got thrown into a stay at home situation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week -- I would maybe lose my mind. No kidding. But I came from nannying. No big change.
Only....well... the kids I nannied for were never so insistant that I watch them put on extended shows and imagination games all day. Or maybe, with three kids, I didn't have time to do that. Or perhaps, with three kids, they entertained each other, and didn't have as much need of my undivided show watching attention. I don't know, though. Maggie's love of performing and dressing up, and playing with her imaginary friends, it blows me away sometimes. It is just, so, elaborate! And sustained.
In answer to that question, "what does a stay at home mother do all day?" -- let me tell you. Or no, better yet, let me SHOW you. Pull up a chair. Stay a while. I'll make popcorn. Maybe we will be able to have some hushed, stolen moments of grown up conversation while Maggie is busy with her costume change. Please. I need some adult company. And maybe a bathroom break.
When she is not performing on the coffee table, she likes to dress up and be various princesses. Here is her take on Ariel. Not quite as tuneful as that famous singing fish, but whatever, she's three years old:
I am a little concerned about my tendencies toward becoming a freaky stage parent. A parent like Brooke Shield's mom. Or maybe Macaulay Culkin's creepy dad. What about Jessica Simpson's whacked out father or Drew Barrymore's druggie mom? Oh my God. But sometimes Maggie just loves to perform. Really. Swear to God. I don't force her. Ask anybody. And it cracks me up to watch her. And so I prompt her to perform for others. I can't help it.
Last year I got a new camera/video camera and so it was easy to film her whenever she did something that made me laugh. Here she is, tottering around in her high heeled shoes and her fancy dress, singing her favorite song at the time, the ABCs:
Soon after, we got the Annie movie and the Annie soundtrack to go with it. And man, that girl loved it! She especially liked the sad songs -- Maybe and Tomorrow (when sung in the minor key). She would belt those out like nobody's business. So I decided to video that, too. But this second video, taken a few months after the first one, is mildly embarrassing. And I am not saying that Maggie is the one who should be embarrassed. No. I am the one who cringes when watching it. Because if you listen carefully, you can hear me singing the words under my breath. Prompting her. And directing her to take a "big bow" when obviously, she does not care to do so. Ahem.
I am a little frightened by this tendency of mine. Where did it come from? I am not a performing type person. Does this just happen when one becomes a mother? Is there any way to avoid it? Will Maggie end up in a "Little Miss Sunshine" situation? Eeeeeek.
She has a recital with her dance class coming up in June. I know all the words, all the steps.... and Maggie? ...Sadly, she does not. Instead, she likes to put her hands on her knees and waggle her bottom like a duck. Then she will look at me over her shoulder and ask expectantly, "what comes next, Mommy?" I am embarrassed to say that, in fact, I know exactly what comes next....
Hopefully I won't be forced to go out on the stage this summer and coach her during her performance. Ha ha . I jest. Sort of.
