The Woes of Childhood

A few days ago I was in my kitchen cleaning up when I heard Brooklyn talking to herself in the living room. She does this quite often. What's really funny is when she's mad at me she goes storming off into her room muttering to herself about what a mean mommy I am. Once she gets the door to her room closed her voice changes from her whispered hisses to normal talking and I really get hammered. I would feel bad about it if it wasn't just so darn funny! As it is I try to ignore these kinds of tirades hoping they absolve themselves!

So back to my original story. I'm in the kitchen (because I basically live there. Not cooking really, mostly cleaning up after Jace who thinks he needs to be eating 24/7. Seriously.) and I hear Brooklyn talking to herself again. I perk up my ears and really listen. Brooklyn, in one of her most sad and dramatic voices is saying "I never asked for this. " Deep sigh. " Why did I get such chubby cheeks?"

At this I peeked around the corner to see Brooklyn looking in a hand mirror with downturned lips and big eyes staring at her reflection. I about lost it. I knew it wasn't funny. But it really was. So I rearranged my face to go talk to her. I started out with the spiel all good mommy's tell their children. It went something like this.

"Brooklyn, you're beautiful and perfect just the way you are!"

And then I gave her a brilliant smile.

She wasn't buying it. "But mom, I have chubby cheeks!" Like that was the worst thing that could happen.

So then I lied. "No you don't Brookie. You're just right."

At this she glared at me and grabbed two chubby fistfuls of cheek. "Yes I do. See."

I began backpedaling. "Well Brooklyn, look at my cheeks. They're chubby too." I blew my cheeks out to make them really chubby. "We're just a family of chubby cheeks."

Another bright smile.

And that was the end of it. And I'm really starting to wonder how to prepare for the teenage years. If I can!