Still Waiting in the Wings

So, anyone who knows me, knows that I'm a bit... well, not shy.

I studied dramatics in college, have performed on stage on countless occasions, and seem to be very at home just telling stories or talking to anyone who might listen.

An ex-boyfriend of mine once noted that I would probably talk to a post if I thought there was a chance that it would answer me.

And then there is Kate.

This girl will clown around for me or her dad all day long if she can. Striking funny poses, dancing silly dances. (For some reason though, if you want to wiggle your butt you MUST pull your pants down around your ankles. I'm still working on that one.) Put her in a performance venue that involves other people though.... nada.

So, did the drama queen give birth to a wallflower? (This vexes me almost as much as her lack of enthusiasm for dogs.)

I was a little..... no, very... apprehensive when I found out that the schools have a weekly assembly which the different classes are responsible for organizing. This includes the "foundation
stage" which is nursery (Kate) and reception (Kate next year - full days) combined. They had the assembly a mere 2-ish weeks after Kate started. Not very good planning in my mind. Here were a group of children who are just getting adjusted to going to school and being separated from their moms/dads/caregivers for a few hours a day and you want them to perform?

Well, let's just say that Kate got through it. She didn't really participate, but she didn't outright cry either. Then she had another in November. She was a tad bit more confident and though she didn't really sing (maybe a few words here and there) she stood and looked like she was involved. (Not that the other kids did MUCH better. )



Christmas came and with it, the mandatory Christmas play. Kate was a musician child and had to sit at the very front of the stage. I was so proud. She shook her little jingle bells with all her might and managed to sing some of the songs! I could see it now! Kate Crawford performing live and in person! Where would I find an agent?



Well, yesterday was her first assembly since then. I arrived early, as usual, to make sure that 1.) I got a seat and 2.) it wasn't in the front. Well, it didn't matter. She came in and spotted me right away. Burst into tears and wailed. Chewed her fingers most of the time. I'm not sure she even sang a note. Poor thing. Here's a little video of her portion of the assembly.




That is her assistant teacher, Mrs Downey that is with her. This woman is an absolute star in the classroom and I don't know how we would have made it through the school year without her. Kate really responds well to all her teachers and I really can't say enough good things about the staff. It's a great place for Kate and I feel very blessed that I didn't listen to some of the critics of the school and requested it as her first choice for the fall.

As for the acting career? Well, I won't sign her up for tap lessons just yet. She can just stay in the spotlight of my heart.

A Break in the Weather!

Or at least a breakthrough in how Kate sees/reacts to the weather.

Kate, as you may remember, is an ombrophobiac (fear of rain)or maybe an amenophobiac (fear of wind) or an odd combination of the two. Basically, if it is raining or windy and I have to take Kate to school or bring her home or take her generally anywhere she turns into a crying, whining, snivelling, pitiful creature.

I'm not joking. It's horrible.

So, when I saw gale force winds in the forecast for Monday (and other days this week) I was understandably less than thrilled. Gale force winds. And rain. Just the kind of weather that makes my daughter question me at great length about why we don't have a car and why we can't just get in any one that looks like it is available.

Now, I have been working very hard to help her to overcome this fear. She got a new umbrella for Christmas. It is a pretty ladybird umbrella that she picked out. We talk about the weather a lot. Especially the wind. I've made up epic adventures about the wind. How the wind is very busy. His job is to blow the clouds away so that the sun can shine. He dries up puddles and mucky mud. He plays with the leaves and runs down the street very fast because he is always in a hurry and has a lot to do. (We talk about the rain in this way as well. Of course of all his jobs that I've listed {flowers growing, etc} the one she's focused on is that it washes the cat and dog poop off the sidewalk.)

After literally months, maybe even a year of talking until I'm blue in the face, it appears we've had a break through.

Because, Monday, the day of gale force winds, my daughter grabbed on to her umbrella with two hands and walked to school without a single tear. She chatted to me the whole way and we talked of the wind and the clouds and the rain.

When we got to school, I gave her the biggest hug and told her how proud I am of her for being so brave in the weather.

And she looked me in the eye and told me (as if this should have been as plain as the nose on my face,) "But Mummy, the wind is my FRIEND!"

Amen and Hallelujah.

I'm hoping that they stay friends for a long, long time.

Kate loves Crufts??

Let me talk to you for a moment about Kate and dogs.

She doesn't seem to like them. I mean, I think she likes dogs in theory, but the reality of them freaks her out.

Aunt Cathy and Uncle Ditto bought her some dogs for her birthday. Two large, soft ones that make noise (Jeff is ever so grateful) and some Pocket Puppies that are beagles. They were a BIG hit. She plays with the big ones, but the little fiddley ones are VERY much played with.

There are a few stuffed animal dogs in the house which she is very kind and loving to. Her Grammy gave her a gorgeous Webkinz beagle that she just adores. Grammy also gave her some West Highland terriers for her Sylvania Familes (small) collection. They are also well played with.

We recently bought the new 101 Dalmations DVD (with the small stuffed puppy - is anyone else struck by the irony?) and she watches it CONSTANTLY.

But live dogs? Forget it!

She sees them on the street and immediately shies away from them. Now in theory, that might not be a bad thing. Strange dogs are an unknown and I'd rather she be cautious and safe rather than just running up to random dogs and risk getting her face chewed off.

She is better (is it wishful thinking on my part) with the family pets. It's always been strange that she has always preferred Gretchen's Holly to her dearly departed Maggie. Then again, maybe not so strange. Holly is definately not at face level and size wise is much less intimidating. Holly also LOVES to play ball and Kate is more than happy to throw the ball.

Ditto and Cathy's beagles, Lily and Barney have always been tolerated by Kate. (And they seem to tolerate her rather well.) Again, there is a fetch aspect to Lily that Kate loves, the dogs are smaller (though Barney LOVES to lick), and they are for the most part quieter.

However, even when she's not interacting with a family dog and the dog is not interacting with her, she always seems to have one eye on the dog in an ever vigilant attitude.

Of course, it didn't help that one day at the market, we were walking along (it was a nice day for once) and this gangly, all paws, tongue lolling black Labrador puppy was approaching us. He was a happy go lucky chap with a clownish face and enthusiasm written all over his shining ebony coat. When Kate saw him, her face lit up and she sighed. "Oh, Mummy. Look at the pretty puppy."

And then he spotted Ellie.

Ellie is Kate's well loved elephant companion. She goes pretty much everywhere with Kate (though lately other animals have been taking a turn, she always goes back to her Ellie) school, gymnastics, shopping, to Gran's. If Kate's been there, Ellie's been there.

Well, the cute Lab puppy immediately registered the little elephant as "toy" and lunged for her. He didn't get it. I watched the canine's thought process and stepped between him and Kate at the last moment. I'm not even sure that the person walking him really noticed what was happening. He wasn't being aggressive, he just wanted to play with Ellie. Of course, Kate shrieked and clutched Ellie and my leg simultaneously and didn't let go until the pup was well past us.

It wasn't a huge deal, but Kate always watches warily for dogs when she has Ellie out and about.

So, anyway. My kid doesn't like dogs. (Which as a person who loves pretty much anything that has fur, I'm trying not to take it too personally. I blame her dad.)

Today, the Cruft's Dog Show was on tv. (Officially recognised as the WORLD'S BIGGEST DOG SHOW by the Guinness Book of World Records.) I knew I would enjoy it, but the rest of the family would just hate it. But.... Jeff was working on the rabbit hutch and Kate was playing... maybe?

So, I flicked it on. They had the obedience and agility finals on and I figured I could watch a few runs before being harrassed by the non-dog members of the family. Well, I guess real dogs on tv fall into that "dogs as a concept" category. Kate was transfixed. We had a lot of conversation about the dogs and what they were doing and when the BBC took their hour break for the news, she was definately disappointed. So, I promised her that if she quick ate her dinner and took her bath, she could come back downstairs and watch more dogs.

She did so quite happily.

When the dog show came back, there was a little more of the agility and obedience, but then went to the regular showing and though I find it interesting, I can see how it could be a bit boring for a 4 yr old. She went to bed before the end, but I was rather surprised at how much she really seemed to enjoy the dogs.

She has said on occasion, "Mummy, I wish we could have a puppy." Then again, she also told me last week that she wants a snake.

Like I said, dogs as a concept not a reality. She better outgrow it or I will die of shame.

As for the show, I'm not sure that I'm happy with the Giant Schnauzer winning. Throughout the competition, the announcers were making a big deal that this was the dog's third time in the finals and this should be his year. Like just because he has been there for so long he is entitled to it? And then he won.

I thought the Oscar was the only award that if you are nominated enough times, you will eventually win. At least before you die. In some cases, after you die.

I'd like to say that the Beagle was robbed, but he spooked in the ring and I'm sure that counted against him somewhat. Hopefully, we'll see him back in the final ring again. If I remember correctly, Max was one of the younger dogs in the ring (not as young as that 18 month old Chihuahua!) and definately had that ideal "pleading look" that is sought after in the Beagle breed. Much ado was made about "Uno" (15 inch Beagle) winning the West Minster Dog Show in February and there was speculation that 2008 would be the "Year of the Beagle." No matter. Max did a great job and there was much cheering for him on my couch. (Even Jeff managed to muster a bit of enthusiasm for him.)

Just a few random observations:

I got a great kick out of listening to the commentators point out again and again that the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier had his coat groomed to the "American Standard."

When Harriet's Hungarian Vizsla won the "Friend's for Life" award, I couldn't help but get teary eyed for the poor kid. (Pass the tissues, please.) I don't remember Aunt Judy and Uncle Merrill's Vizsla having that moustache and beard look.....

Jeff's opinion of people who are into dog shows: "And people call computer people geeks? These dog people are much worse." He was having severe difficulties with the naming of the dogs and then referring to the dogs by a nickname. He's lucky I didn't bap him on the head. (I will admit that I thought I understood the groupings and the CC's, but I seem to be rather mistaken (though to be fair, there is a difference between the AKC and the KC standards and rules.)

I don't like the short listing of dogs for the Group divisions. I want to see the dogs!

Afghan breeders who think that their dogs are smart? Don't they know they are the blondes of the dog world? (Beautiful, but dumber than rocks in my experience.) Okay, I've never before seen the giant box that is really a doggie hairdryer. For a moment, I thought she put the poor thing in a large microwave.

Jack Russell terrier that barks its way through the agility course was hysterical!

Native vulnerable breeds had a little costume show. (These are dog breeds of England and Ireland whose numbers are dwindling and are in danger of being extinct.) Some of the dogs on the list are: Lakeland Terrier, Glan of Imaal Terrier, Clumber Spaniel, Smooth Fox Terriers, Sussex Spaniels, Deerhounds, and Cardigan Welsh Corgis. (The Queen evidently likes the Pembroke Welsh Corgis... she has something like 16 of them.) A little further research indicates that the Greyhound is also on that list? (Sounds suspect to me.) To get on the list, there has to be less than 300 dogs registered through the Kennel Club in a single year.

Well, that's it for me!

Yap! Yap!