The Grinch is Pubescent

This wonderful, loving, upbeat, generous and obedient child turns ten today. Sometimes I feel like I can see her legs growing before my eyes. She is beautiful, but now pimply and occasionally stinky and says things like, "I can do whatever I want because this is MY BODY!" as her head spins around like the possessed kid in the Exorcist. Deep, gutteral wails eminate from her in-need-of-orthodontia mouth when I ask her to "please shower".

To gain coolness points on her birthday, I made the mistake of taking a van-full of 8 and 9 year olds to see High School Musical Three last night. Pre and post-movie, then on into the night, discussions ensued about which boys/girls they would like to date, marry, kiss and with whom to have babies. I decided that the best course of action would be to eavesdrop innocently in order to better assess the situation, then devise the most effective intervention at a later time. I have come up with these possible solutions - home schooling and admission to a convent. I sense the end of an era.

And for the viewing pleasure of the entire community, my oldest child will play out the yin/yang of her personality and her battle with the ambivalence of adolescence as she stars next month in the leading role as the Grinch in her school play "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", and a tutu-clad fairy in her ballet school's production of Sleeping Beauty.


Despite my repeated attempts to royally screw her up, her coolness prevails as she is catapulted from childhood into adolescence. And I am so proud of her and am honored to be her mom. Bring on the next era!