My sweet boy’s are really starting to grow up and I think it is sinking in with me. Gone are the days of snuggling on my lap, asking me to re-read the same story over and over and sweet peanut butter face kisses. I can really get myself going and get nostalgic for the pre-school and toddler days. I miss all of those things so much.
Those sweet memories are replaced with eye rolls, muddering under one’s breath and general moodiness from boy #1 and from boy #2 we get sassy talkin’, know it all attitude. I know that these things are normal for kids growing up, and they really are sweet, nice, loving and kind boys. We are proud parents, for sure. And I know I have written before about how “frank” boy #2 is. He tells it like it is, no ”sugar coated plums” here! You’ll get that pun towards the end of the post…
Both of my boys are music lovers, as are both of their parents. Every Christmas, boy #2 talks about The Nutcracker and all of the beautiful music from The Nutcracker. He has had a fascination with it from a young age. So much so that for Christmas when he was about 4 years old, he asked for the book, The Nutcracker, and to this day, he asks repeatedly for me to purchase a large Nutcracker for our home. Not a Nutcracker ornament or knick knack, but one of those enormous 5 foot tall, very scary looking Nutcrackers. Somehow, I have dodged that one! But something inside of me tells me that I should have taken an opportunity long ago.
Since the boys have enjoyed listening to The Nutcracker, I thought I would be the cultured mom that I am (uh-huh) and offer to take them to see The Nutcracker. Now long ago, I thought about it. Thought long and hard about it and decided that taking a 4 and 6 year old to the ballet might not be a good idea. So we never went, time passed and here we are with an almost 12 year old and a 9 year old. When boy #2 came home from school today, I was making a pot of chili and he came into the kitchen to have a chat. He proceeded to talk about, you guessed it, The Nutcracker. They are watching it in music class this week and he told me all about the different scenes and I listened as I chopped celery, onions and tomatoes. And then it hit me! Maybe he would like to go to see The Nutcracker now? Here is how the conversation went:
ME: ”Hey, how would you like to go see the real Nutcracker, live and in person?”
Boy #2: “Ughhhh…No way.”
ME: “Really? I thought you would like the music.”
Boy #2 “Mom, it is sooo long! It is like three hours long!”
ME: “That is not so long. You can sit and play video games for three hours. Why not The Nutcracker? You really love all of the music.”
Boy #2: “No. There is no way I am going to go see girly girls dancing around.”
ME: (acting a little hurt…) “Gee, I thought it might be something you would enjoy and that we could do as a family right before Christmas.
Boy #2: (giving me a look of exasperation) “ughhh….I guess I would go if you really wanted me to, but just so you know, I am NOT going to like it one bit!
OK, so no Nutcracker for me. Which is just as well. I did go and see it when I was about 14 years old with my Mom and I remember it being incredibly long. I also remember leaning over and saying to my Mom, “I didn’t know there was not going to be any talking! When is it over?” Like Mother, like Son!
