Wednesday, August 15, 2007

The rest of the story…

My daughter made the front page of The West section in the Sunday edition of Idaho Fall’s Post Register. And she looks cute as a button. It was Saturday and she was wearing her rainbow swimming suit when caught skipping through ankle-deep water at a local event trying to catch fish. And true to Leah-form she saw her picture in the paper and exclaimed (palms cupping cheeks), “I didn’t catch a fish but my picture is on the paper…” as if the cosmos had finally realigned, restoring karmic justice.

As Paul Harvey would say, and now, for the rest of the story…

We were down by the Snake River enjoying a big shindig in preparation for the great Duck Race, an annual event where people adopt rubber ducks which are numbered and then dropped into the river in a race for different prizes. So sans stroller (note to self: never again) we walked the river and enjoyed lots of kid-friendly activities. We made sailboats at the Home Depot tent, noodle necklaces, sand art, and maracas with the Youth Jamboree, and then, the best part, the kids got to jump into a man-made pond to try and catch some rainbow trout. It was a Norman Rockwell moment. Good farm town fun. Kaleb and Leah were completely invested; Kaleb even caught four fish (two of which were already dead---sshhhhhh…) and Leah just seemed to be enjoying a very public romp through the water. That is, until they blew the whistle and ushered a new set of kids into the pond.

Leah had a meltdown. At the top of her lungs (which, I must say, have the capacity of a 20-year old snowboarder, dude) she screamed, “I didn’t catch a fish…” Over and over again. Hundreds of people seemed to be watching while I wrangled cloths back on children and tried to keep a very distracted Zack by my side. Leah continued to scream. When that didn’t work she dropped to her knees and wailed. When she regained her strength she stood up and stomped her feet, screaming still. In fact, mid-tantrum Zack wondered onto a policeman’s golf cart. Once I disentangled him from the steering wheel I easily relocated my daughter who was still screaming by the river.

So imagine my surprise when on Sunday morning we discovered that while our ducks may not have won the race, Leah’s picture was on the cover of the paper. Looking absolutely joyful and serene. And thus, in Leah’s mind, balance had been restored. While she may not have caught any fish, she did secure a very captive audience. And that time she didn’t even need a tantrum to do it.

Yes, I am very afraid. I only have 9 more years until the girl turns 13.

18 comments:

Rachel said...

Do you think that our kids are secretly trained to go in different directions and have separate fits at exactly the same time?
I loved the newspaper picture. Will the paper give you a copy of it (the original) I wonder? I think it would make a great framed black and white picture.
By the way...your comment on my Mexico post really touched me...I truly appreciate that.

Maude Lynn said...

Love that picture! Looking at it, you would never guess what's to come . . .

Blog Owner said...

Yesterday after the first day of preschool my kids REFUSED to walk to the car. One went in one direction, one in the other. I had to ask a friend to help carry our stuff to the car so I could carry BOTH kids (not light, I tell you!).

OH MY GOSH!!

Bananas said...

What a doll!

Zellmer said...

She's famous!
What a great photo.
I love the name Leah.

Lisa said...

Instant fame! Did she autograph your copy?

Anonymous said...

As someone who only has 1 year left until my daughter turns 13, I'll just say: be afraid. Be very, very afraid.

Great post, great picture. What a super-mom you are for finding a rainbow suit to catch rainbow trout.

Anonymous said...

That is the cutest picture!! I hope they do give you a copy. And I understand the screaming meltdown. Yesterday, after about the fourth time she had sprinted through the store away from me as quickly as possible and had to be retrieved, I hauled Kaela out of the Shopko over my shoulder screaming at the top of her lungs "I hate you, put me down, you're the meanest mom in the world, you're huuuuurting me" as she kicked me in the stomach and tried to pull my hair. I tried to put her down at one point and as reasonably as I could manage say "if you will hold my hand and walk next to me without running away you can walk" whereupon she fishflopped onto the ground and began to scream that she was never going with me anywhere and she was going to run into the parking lot if she wanted to and I couldn't stop her. So I picked her up again, and took her to the car. In retrospect, I probably should have stepped over her and said something like "make sure you dn't get hit by a car" and went on to the car by myself, but in that mood I'm never sure she won't actually run into traffic and by that time I just wanted to get in the car and leave. Everyone stared with that distressed "can't you be a better mother than that" look and I'm sure at least one of them wrote down my license number to call child protective services with. And Kaela kept on screeeeaming all the way home. 45 minutes. Sigh. My 13 year old is actually easier than that. So this actually may be the worst of it. Who knows. We could get lucky.
Mary

Anonymous said...

OMG! She looks ADORABLE!! What a great photo!! You must be a proud mommy!! Congrats!! She's already got some press!!
- Audrey
Pinks & Blues Girlsh

erin said...

That picture is fantastic! Leah is too cute! Tell me how you handle it because I am just 2 years behind you!

shauna said...

Rachel and MyMini, Either they're trained or it's part of their DNA. My kids are always ganging up on me by going in completely different directions at the same time!

Mrs. Incredible, Oh believe me, we color-coordinate all our outfits with our daily activities. (haha)

Mary, I am so so sorry. Those public tantrums are horrible, especially when it's accompanied by cries of hatred (that's currently my experience with Kaleb--ick!)

And for those who asked--the paper will sell us an 8x10 for $20! They're running quite a racket, but we'll get one just because... They also sell a commemorative thingy that's the full page from the paper, matted and framed.

Yes, she's adorable (but at a definite cost). :)

Anonymous said...

What a perfect ending to a situation that seemed imperfect! I guess it's true that there's always a rainbow (even on a bathing suit!) behind every cloud!
What an absolute doll!
Sharon - Pinks & Blues

Rachel said...

I assume that this is the picture.. if so, it is absolutely adorable. The fact that she loves that notority proves on loy one thing: she is pure girl! I love it... Reminds me of a little likeastar. PS. I am back, baby!

moosh in indy. said...

I only just recently learned who Paul Harvey is, am I that lame?
She's adorable in all her summer glory.

Mamacita Chilena said...

she looks cute as a button in that photo! I'm sorry she doesn't behave as nice as she looks but hopefully that will change with time...and she will learn how to use her beauty and charm for good, not for evil :)

GustoBones said...

What a beautiful picture of you swwet daughter, and in the newspaper too!!! How great is that! After hearing about her fit about the fish, isnt'it nice to have this fabulous image to remember the happy parts of the day. I think that is what motherhood is about. Suffering through the screaming, yelling, fighting and all the rest, but putting on rose colored glasses(of love), when we think about our children.

Suburban Correspondent said...

You should be scared. I just went through a year with a 4-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old daughter, and it wasn't pretty. They were both possessed.

Anonymous said...

She's so cute!
And I know what you mean. I dread the teen years with Elise.