Oh, the DRAMA

I may have mentioned it before, but any of you who have actually seen Jessa in action will know that if you look up drama queen in the dictionary, you will find an 8x10 glossy of my girl. EVERYTHING is a big deal. Today when I picked her up at preschool, her teacher even commented on how fun it is to have 5 chatty, bossy little girls in the class. Yep, that's Jessa, chatty AND bossy. And before I had a chance to add dramatic, Miss Penny said, "and boy is she dramatic." I was actually tickled because I am glad that (1) Jessa is herself at school and (2) that Miss Penny finds it amusing. She even said she has to turn her head to keep the kids and Jessa from seeing her laugh at some of the statements that come out of Jessa's mouth.

This got me to thinking about some of the dramatic things that have come out of her precious mouth lately. I must say, she is 4 going on 16 at this point. She does the sigh, eye roll, "whatever" thing like a seasoned teenager.

My favorite that she has said several times to me goes like this. I ask her/tell her and Spencer to do something like "Stop doing that" or "You are not going outside right now" or "You will be getting in the tub NOW" and she mumbles to herself just loud enough for me to hear, with arms folded in defiance and frustration"It's OUR life!" And I politely reply, "You are correct, but at this stage or YOUR life, I am the boss of you, so get in the tub!"

She also tells me through giggles to avoid being too disrespectful, "I'm going, I'm going, you don't have to be so bossy!"

Last Friday at their school was nursery rhyme/fairy tale dress up day. She was not too helpful when I was trying to come up with a costume. I did not want to cop out and send her in a store bought princess gown. I wanted to be more creative, plus all of our gowns are packed. So momma and I spent a week trying to come up with a nursery rhyme that they could both have something sort of matching. Jack and Jill? How do Jack and Jill dress? And then they would have to carry a pail all day. What else? Little Jack Horner? A plum on the thumb, right, like Spencer would keep that on five minutes. Little Miss Muffet, carrying around curds and whey? Wearing a spider?? Jessa would not like the spider at all! Finally it hit us: GINGERBREAD MEN!

And when we pulled up for drop-off at school, all the teachers were dressed up, and almost every girl that got out of the cars in front of us was (you guessed it): a princess. So I was feeling good about our special outfits. The teachers got them out of the car and started going nuts about how precious they were! Mom and I were beaming! (she sewed the big buttons on the outfits and I made the icing out of colored electrical tape). The teachers were still talking about how cute they were this week. We all felt it was a success at the time. . .

Then last night at supper, we were talking about their cute outfits. And Jessa said "Yeah, but I did not want to be a gingerbread man. I wanted to be a princess. All the other girls were princesses!" And I said, "I know, but your costume was a hit and everyone thought you looked so cute and special." And she said with tears in her eyes,"Well, I hope you are happy, you RUINED my life!" If only she knew how much worse it is going to get. . . Imagine what she will say to me when she is 12!

And not to leave Spencer out, he is not as dramatic, but he says some priceless things, too! He said to me last night after Jessa asked him to come play with her in the playroom so she would not be (said in a whiny dramatic voice) "lonely because I will be ALL ALONE" And even though he was happy doing something else, he jumped right up and said "OK Jessa!" And I said to him and mom as he was following her "What a nice brother Jessa has!" And he was already down a step with the door closed. But he turned around and opened the door long enough to stick his face in to say with a HUGE grin "Yeah, I nice!"

And boy is he! She is so lucky to have such a patient little brother who worships her, but even he has his limits! Lately, Spencer has grown tired of Jessa's flair for the dramatic and impatience and looks at me, sighs and says loudly, "Mommy, she dwiving me cazy!" And I cannot blame him! But I still think we'll keep her!