Applebees and Magic

Have you ever made a mistake as a mom that really, truly broke your heart? I did just last week. It started with a phone call from Victoria's teacher, to tell me that she was getting the "Shining Star" award. She told me when the assembly was and I mentioned it to Matthew, but as I'm sure you can see where this story is going, I failed to write it down. As I picked her up from school on the day of, she was bursting with joy. She told me she "had to show me something that I might be surprised about." Right then it hit me. I had missed the assembly. I had forgotten! I told her that mommy had just forgot, and that I was so sorry. She smiled, and told me it was "okay." So as I held back my own tears, I listened to her tell me how the assembly went. Get out your tissues now. She said, "every time the principal gets ready to call names, I close my eyes, and cross my fingers hoping that it will be me. And it worked today because she called my name. Then I went up to get my award, and I crossed my fingers again, hoping that you guys were there to see me." At this point, I wanted to curl up into a ball and sob. It was the most horrible feeling that I have had as a mother thus far. Although she told me it was "okay", I certainly didn't think that it was. She continued to be her chatty self driving home, and while I was half listening and half trying to think of a way to make it up to her, I had a brilliant idea. Applebees! For some bizzare reason our kids love Applebees. We hardly ever go, so it is a mystery to us. Anyways, her Shining Star award just happened to come with a free kid's meal coupon for Applebees.....perfect. Well, last night was our Applebees night. We sat at a small table for two (this she noticed and thought was so fun), she chose her meal carefully, ordered it herself and was especially excited about the Sierra Mist (soda is not a regular event for us). We ate, we talked and I sat in wonder at how grown up she seemed. There is something to be said about alone time with each kid. You notice things that are not normally seen when you aren't trying to keep the toddler from throwing her drink on the floor or shoving ketchup up her nose. She told me all about school, her class and her friends. She asked me things like when did I know I wanted to marry daddy (and there was no way I could tell her the real age, so I stuck with 19), and what did I want to be when I grew up. She had funny, quirky facial expressions at times, especially when she decided that everyone that lives in San Diego should only root for the Chargers (makes sense to me). We ended the evening with a $1.99 cheesecake sundae to share and as the waitress took her coupon and doted on her achievement, she grinned from ear to ear, and so did I. It was a magical evening with my special girl.