"When I turn 10..."

Daughter 1 will turn 10 years old in two weeks.  Because she is obsessive and analytical and academic and generally hard to buy for, birthday presents are hard to come by .  So, imagine my sheer excitement when I discovered that Rick Riordan, author of Daughter 1's all-time favorite books, was going to be just three hours away!  And, for an additional fee, we could get his new release signed by Rick Riordan himself!  Plus, there would be a costume contest for all the kids who attend his presentation!  This would certainly land me in the running for Momma-of-the-Year, no doubt about it!


Two months ago, we purchased the tickets and giggled with delight.  This would be such a rockin' day for all of us! The Dad and I decided to keep it a secret from Daughter 1 because she is so obsessive and because we just didn't think we could handle two solid months of her over-the-top excitement.  (We're tired parents...)

Finally, the day arrived.  We woke up at 4 (in the AM, people!  See??!!  I do love my kids!) and begged The Daughters to just trust us as we dressed Daughter 2 in a Medusa costume (complete with green pipe-cleaner snakes in her hair and dressed Daughter 1 as her favorite god, Hephaestus, the god of fire and ironwork. He was also noted for being "lame".  Not lame as in "why can't she pick an easy god or goddess like Athena or Zeus", but lame as in he was disabled.  I think she had a soft spot in her heart for him because he's an underdog.  Also, it's hard to find a blacksmith's costume and even though she didn't know what we were doing, she still has a way of making easy things hard.

Daughter 1 and Daughter 2 -
prior to her parking lot meltdown

In the dark, dark morning, we set out across state lines and into the wide open arena to hear Rick Riordan speak.  Daughter 1 was beside herself with giddyness.  She proclaimed on more than one occasion - even before seeing the man who brough Greek mythology to the modern day book worm - that this was her best birthday ever.  Afterwards, to keep my polling numbers high, we let her choose where we had lunch.

It was at this time that Daughter 2 decided to have her little melt down.  I knew it was coming... She's not a bookie; she's a athlete.  She's not a Greekie; she's a fashionista!  She's not into listening; she's into talking!  So, it was in the parking lot, we endured a full-five-minute fit about how it was completely unfair that Daughter 1 got to pick everything for that day.  As I was pulling snakes from Daughter 2's hair (and wishing I could just turn to stone until her little rant was over), I explained to her that this was Daughter 1's birthday present.  It was a special birthday, after all, she was turning 10.  I then assured Daughter 2 that when she turned 10, we'd be doing something equally special for her birthday and she'd get to make the decisions.

A mussy-headed former Medusa stood at the back of the minivan with her little snake-arms crossed over her chest and squinted her eyes.  "Fine, Momma," she finally sighed, "I'll let her pick out the restaurant."

OK, then!  Hopefully, that was the last of the meltdowns because I was running on fumes and was pretty close to melting down myself.  I had been up since four in the morning, my friends!  That NEVER happens!

"BUT!" Medussa yelled in the middle of the parking lot, "When I turn 10, I do NOT want  to see an AUTHOR" she retorted, making her wishes known to me and everyone else in the parking lot.  "When I turn 10, I want a trip to Hawaii!"

You and me both, kid!