School Excitement!

It was an exciting day at school for both girls!  Madeleine celebrated "Olympics Day," during which kids got to wear red, white, and blue outfits and compete in relay races and other events.  The class even made Olympic torches using a paper towel tube covered in tinfoil, with tissue paper as the flames.  When I picked Madeleine up from school, I complimented her on her torch.

ME: Wow, Madeleine, I love your torch!
MADELEINE: Hey, Mom, how did you know what it's called?
ME: What do you mean?
MADELEINE: What this FIRE thing is called.
ME: The torch?
MADELEINE: Yeah.  The storch.
ME: It's torch, honey.  And I know about the torch because it's an Olympic tradition.  The Olympic torch is always part of the opening ceremonies.

As we drove home, Madeleine contemplated her hand-made torch further.

MADELEINE: Mommy?  Do you know how we made this STORCH so shiny?  We put TINFOIL on it!  That's why when I hold out my storch it looks like it's SOO sparkly and shiny!

When we arrived home, Madeleine began to lament the length of her torch.

MADELEINE: My storch is too SHORT.
ME: No it's not, honey, it's the perfect length!
MADELEINE: No, my storch is too SHORT.  Mom.  My shor...uh, Mama, did you know that by ACCIDENT, I started to say "my SHORT is too STORCH" instead of "my storch is too SHORT?"

I did know that.  I also noticed that by accident she says "storch" every time instead of "torch."

When Ethan got home from work, even he noticed Madeleine's torch.

ETHAN: Hey, Madeleine, what's this that you made?
MADELEINE: Um - a STORCH!

Madeleine in red, white and blue, waving her storch


Julia's school excitement came later in the afternoon.  I got the pleasure of coming in as the Mystery Reader of the week.  The class was instructed to keep eyes closed as I entered, and after they made a drumroll on the floor, the kids were allowed to open their eyes to see who had arrived.

Julia, of course, was in her usual self-conscious mode and had to shyly, with nary a smile, make her way to the front of the classroom to sit beside me while I read two stories.  Whenever I go into Madeleine's class to teach music, Madeleine gets really proprietary with me, leaping up from her spot on the rug to come drape herself over my legs while I sing.  Julia, on the other hand, acts as if she's afraid to break out of her quiet, obedient school persona, although I know her well enough to read her inner excitement that she was trying to suppress.

I also know her well enough to understand that when she's giddy and excited, yet feeling shy and self-conscious about being in the spotlight, she takes to making COMPLETELY nonsensical and irrelevant comments, for whatever reason. 

Like, for example:

ME: (to the class) The second book I brought is called "Octopus' Garden," and it's set to a song by the Beatles.  I'm going to sing it to you while I show you the illustrations that go with the song.  (turning to Julia)  Julia, would you like to sing along with me?
JULIA: (staring at me blankly)
ME: Do you want to scooch your chair over closer and help me sing?
JULIA: (thoughtful for a second) I'm HUNGRY!
ME: Okay, well that's helpful.

So I wound up singing it myself, but that's okay; I had been 99% sure Julia would feel to shy to sing along with me anyway.  In the locker room showers?  In the grocery store?  In the YMCA play room?  Julia will bellow both existing and made-up songs with wild abandon.  But when she actively KNOWS there are eyes on her?  Uh-uh.  Not gonna do it.

Anyway, it was a really special experience to go into her classroom and share two of our family's favorite books, and the most rewarding part of all is that on our walk home, Julia told me that every time her class has a Mystery Reader, she sits with her eyes closed, silently hoping it will be HER mommy.  And today it finally was!

Even if she was hungry.