Picasso Paige and Other Adventures

As usual, February has flown by.  Garrett wrote an essay about my dad for the "A Senior Citizen I Know" contest, and read it at the second grade's Senior Citizen Appreciation Tea.  I have a hard time thinking of my dad as a senior citizen, but I guess he technically qualifies, even though he doesn't seem like one!  Garrett enjoyed writing about his Papa, even if he DIDN'T enjoy reading his essay in front of all those people. (I don't think public speaking is in his future.  Or acting.  Or anything requiring too many people to look at him at once.)

He also supplied the best quote of the month.  One afternoon, he was bopping around the kitchen backwards and singing out "Doin' the moon walk!  Doin' the mo-o-o-on walk!"  I asked him if he knew who did the moonwalk first, since he likes a few of Michael Jackson's songs.  He looked at me like I was the dumbest creature alive, and said "Yeah, I know -Neil Armstrong!!"  It's too bad he doesn't like public speaking, with one-liners like that!

Paige, on the other hand, is showing her creative side more each day.  In addition to ballet, she has taken up painting and drawing.  One Saturday morning, I returned from the gym to find the kids waiting for me at the door.  Garrett said "Mom!  Come look at Paige's room!"  Dave said "Don't worry, I've already talked to her about it -after I stopped laughing!"  So, with great trepidation, I entered her room, but nothing seemed out of place.  Then Paige said "Mommy, you have to close the door!"  At which point, I noticed this:

(Of course, "noticed" might not be the right word, seeing how you could hardly miss it!)  My emotions went from anger and disbelief, right into uncontrollable laughter.  I mean, how could you not laugh hysterically at that crazed, smiling face?  Paige had decided that her door needed a self-portrait.  My biggest concern was that she was going to wake up in the middle of the night and think it was a monster out to get her.  But so far, it hasn't fazed her.  I'm not sure how Rembrandt's mother would have handled this, but I'm sure my laughing fit was not appropriate for discipline.  However, we did express that this act would NEVER be replicated again on anything other than blank paper.  You know, when you become a parent, they leave out so many rules that you should make.  I guess I missed the chapter entitled "Don't draw a life-sized portrait of yourself on the back of your door!"  Who would have thought we'd need that rule?  Now all we need is a gallon of paint....