Lindsey asks at least once a week when she can wear make-up. I tell her, every time, that she can start wearing (some, a little) make-up when she’s in 7th or 8th grade. Or did I say fifteen? I guess she’s trying to find a weak spot in my argument. Which can’t be that difficult to do since I can’t remember exactly what I told her. When it feels right, Lindsey! For her, that time is now. The last time she asked I said I’d add a year if she kept asking. That was yesterday. She hasn’t asked in 24 hours. She did, however, come home from a sleepover with mascara on. She and her little friend probably swiped the Mom’s mascara in the wee hours of the morning to get themselves all Honey-Boo-Boo’d up. I noticed as soon as she came home and she was all, “HOW DID YOU KNOW?” It’s good to let them know every once in awhile: Mom knows allllllllllll.
William. William’s sprouting dark hairs along his upper lip. Steve and I have this conversation, weekly at this point, shave or bleach? It’s not such a conversation, really. Steve could care less. Me, however, I’m in the bleach-camp. If he starts to shave, he’ll have to keep shaving! Bleaching is the answer, it’s not growing fast! Steve says no one bleaches their son’s upper lip hair. How does he know? Can you see men, shooting the breeze in the lunch line asking, “Hey Bob, so uh, you bleach Jay’s upper lip hair yet? Nah? Shave? Ok.” NO. And furthermore who says it’s wrong just because, as he claims, no one does that. So far, we’ve done nothing, but I routinely want to take a magic eraser to his upper lip. They work on nearly everything, why haven’t I considered this as a viable third option? Either way, it’s remaining at this point. Just this dirty little upper lip that I have a hard time not focusing on when we talk.
And attitude. We’ve got attitude. The other night we had a movie night. Steve had brought blankets and extra pillows in and everything and made the room all cozy for movie night. Once the movie ended, he asked that they grab a blanket, a pillow, whatever, and put it back where it went on their way out. Lindsey exclaims, “EVERY TIME I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WHEN I’M REALLY TIRED IT TAKES ME FOREVER TO FALL ASLEEP.” It was emphatic, dramatic… lunATic (I’m really trying to make lunatic rhyme with the other two.). It was hilarious. And William. He acts all aloof if he’s being disciplined sometimes. Which makes you want to scream, you know? Oh, he DOESN’T CARE DOES HE? Well then let’s take this crazy train UP A FEW NOTCHES.
Body odor and hair growth and makeup-requests and drama aside, they are really funny and cool and still, praise be, think we’re pretty funny and cool too. They still want to hang out with us and go places with us and I know those days are numbered. You know, we’ve seen the other side. The side where they turn into a crazy-person-grump also known as teeeeeeenager. NOT NAMING ANY NAMES. But, we pray and hope and wish that they will come out on the other side… alive, mostly unscathed, and hopefully, most of all, still loving us.
It’s a journey, ain’t it?
(And, I feel like my days of being able to write about William and Lindsey on this blog are dwindling fast. You know, besides the boring stuff. So, I need to get it all out while I can. Make-up and mustaches lead the charge!)
dying over the "slut-friend" comment hahaha, definitely laughed out loud.
She and her little slut-friend
Oh, he DOESN'T CARE DOES HE? Well then let's take this crazy train UP A FEW NOTCHES.
—–
hahhahaha omg I died! You do what you gotta do, homegirl.
Loved this post.
Casting a vote for shaving as opposed to bleaching! Bleach is a pain, uncomfortable, and has to be redone pretty regularly — yes, I bleached my upper lip in junior high! Maybe you could just get him a little buzzer that he could run over his lip every day or two? Good practice! (And for the LOVE, Steve, SOMETHING must be done!!!)
@chelsea coleen + @cjackson, i totally have this voice when i say that sentence too that makes it all the funnier, but, of course, this is the internet and not skype so you'll never know.
@rita, SOMETHING. (alright, buzzer!)
This is from the women's section…so it might not be the best go to…but this is so simple and easy for a few stray hairs….could be a good transition to full-on shaving.
http://www.remingtonproducts.com/womens/HairRemoval/PersonalGroomers/Smooth–Silky-Facial-Pen-Trimmer.aspx?utm_source=googlepla&utm_medium=cse&utm_term=MPT3500SSBCDN&dynid=cse-_-googlepla-_-Hair_Removal-_-MPT3500SSBCDN&adType=pla&id=22275594819&gclid=CK-J7p-1xbUCFQhxQgodonUAGA
I live with 4 boys (husband included) and just now realized that I'm not going to have to deal with makeup. Fabulous. I would wear cloth Chinese mary jane shoes in VT, in the snow, so I'm happy to avoid some of those battles. That said, we just finished a great 6 week parenting class that you may enjoy. It's a whole program, but one aspect helps end those battles by helping kids take on the responsibilities needed to earn privileges like, say, wearing makeup. They want it, they work toward it, and you don't have to play the role of gatekeeper. I can't tell you how freeing it's been for regular family battles (with the 9 & 11 year old). There's a lot of other helpful stuff too, even for parenting my 18month old. http://vickihoefle.com/parenting-on-track/
I also just read your post about Lindsey's room which is so sweet and well designed. If you can finagle it, I think AB Chao (I imagine you know her blog, but http://www.abchao.com) is doing a design camp in Boston this year. I took it last year and it was so helpful and really fun.
I'm full of advice today. The moral, of course is that designing a room is far easier than rearing a gaggle of kiddos!
@emily, i'll take all the advice you've got! thank you! and i like that idea for rewards and such!
Doesn't everyone have a slut-friend (if you aren't the slut-friend youself)? I actually had 2.
And wax that 'stache. I do (to my own). It lasts longer.
xoxo
When I was in middle school I was waaay to nervous to ask my Mom if I could shave my legs… But I was the only girl who didn`t & I felt so terrible. I ended up sending her an emailing asking- LOL
https://somesnapshots.wordpress.com/
I love the remark Lindsey made about taking forever to fall asleep. Sounds exactly like something I would have said when I was younger. 🙂
@meg g, i'm sure they do! but, i assure you, this friend of hers is not 🙂
@jess, i won't let lindsey be the last to shave!! promise!
slut-friend made me seriously laugh out loud.
@megan, i just took out that line. BOOOORING. but you know, JUST IN CASE. not everyone gets my humor. like that girl's mother for instance…
whoa now. I swear Nathaniel looks your age in that picture! and William is growing hair! your kids are just getting too old.
my mother didn't "let" me wear makeup until my sophomore year of high school, although little did she know that I had started sneaking eyeliner the year before. actually, who am I kidding with the "little did she know"? she's a mom. of course she knew.
@kaity, i knowwww. this is one of the (many) outtakes from our christmas card and my sister made fun of me for looking a biiiiiit like the girlfriend of one of my stepsons. it is what it is!
your mom totally knew! they all know!
When I was in 6th grade I wanted to shave my legs but my mom said it was too soon. So I wore NUDE PANTYHOSE to cover it up. To gym class. Thinking no one would notice?
Someone called me out and I said I wore it because I was always so cold.
That is a true story and I cannot believe I told it on the internet.
Honey Boo Boo'd up! You kill me! Love it!
This picture is precious! What a good looking bunch!
What about leg shaving…I couldn't shave past my knees for – EVER—-but then one day I went all the way up…HOLD THE PHONE! WHY IN THE SAM HILL WOULD YOU NEED TO SHAVE ALL THE WAY UP THERE LITTLE MISS?!?!?!!?! Oh the good ole days!
My mom wouldn't let me shave until 7th grade and we live in sunny CA so my legs were always showing! I remember being really embarrassed about it because everyone else was allowed to shave and I'm pretty sure I got made fun of. I also wasn't allowed to wear makeup until high school. I tried to sneak blush, but my mom always knew. They always know! I never really considered the dramas that go along with boys though. Good luck with the stash. I predict you're going to do something about it by the end of next week (maybe even this week!)
haha that picture. it reminds me of some of our family ones…I am REALLY not looking forward to the teenage years…you seem like you are doing great though, humor and all! 🙂
i remember dying to wear makeup when i was in middle school! my mom didn't let me until i was 13, but that didn't stop me from swiping her blush from her makeup bag every morning and putting it on when i got to school. 😉
This is hilarious. And I was just watching Parenthood the other day and it made me realize how crazy pre teens and teens can be.. and I was one of them! Yikes.
@emily, the nude pantyhose! what a story! i can totally see a preteen girl doing that though. i did some crazy things myself…
@love meghan, and now i'm realizing i have to hide my make up!! 🙂
You're HIlarious!
Love this times a hundred.
omigoodness I know exactly what you mean.
but I have to agree with steve on this one, boys don't bleach their moustaches (unless they're having them match their bleached hair 😉
Oh my gosh! DYING over this post! Bleaching the upper lip? Haha! Oh man. You are a good mom to be looking out for them like that.
PS… William and Lindsay stories will never get old.
You're lucky that the elders don't report back to Lindsey and William!
love these motherhood anecdotes, keep 'em coming!
also, a great candid snapshot of your family, those are my favorite kinds of photos.
Buy Lindsey some clear mascara…maybelline makes some. It's like the placebo effect. She'll be using make up, but it is much more subtle and age appropriate! It's all about compromise at that age! Good luck!
My 12 year old son is just now getting a mustache and he thinks it is the coolest thing ever. He calls it his hispanic stache! Haha!
My 13 year old daughter rarely wants to wear makeup. But I do allow her to wear a little makeup…some powder, mascara, and neutral lip gloss. I always tell her the trick is to look like a classy lady, not a circus clown. And that works for us!
The attitudes are ridiculous. Go clean your room! But but it's my room and you don't have to come in it. Well it is my house and you can go live outside!
Then I have a 3 year old thrown into the mix and he has been a temper-tantrum throwing fool these past few months!
Pour me a margarita with extra tequila PLEASE!
Oh man, I have to side with my girl Lindsay on this one…I think I started experimenting with makeup around her age and now I freelance makeup artist on the side 🙂
I used to, sigh, bleach my upper lip too, pre-waxing days. It's a real hassle and you can still see the hair, it just looks blonde. Boo.
I came back and read this again. That's how much I love posts like this. So real! You the best. xo
Oh my gosh this made me laugh because I nanny for a 11 year old and 11 year old and the 12 year old is OBSESSED with wanting to wear makeup! Her mom says she has to be 13 but has caught her a bajillion times sneaking some on. So then she thinks that when I spend the night with them I wont notice her putting mascara on…no, I notice the second I catch a glimpse of her little eyeballs! She gets soo upset and doesn't understand why I notice but us moms know better 😉
I started shaving my legs at Girl Scout camp, because I wanted to avoid having to ask my mom if I could. I just swiped my older sisters' razors. As for make-up? My mom let me use powder and clear mascara in 6th grade, nothing else until I was 13. Then it was only brown mascara, cover up (PIMPLES), powder, and faintly pink lip glosses- just enough to get my hair stuck all over my face, but not enough to show any color.
I'm with Steve on the Mustache Situation… bleaching sounds like a lot more trouble than it's worth (but then I have crazy sensitive facial skin, so bleaching would make me have a hived-up strawberry upper lip).
I'm not quite sure I'm looking forward to the pre-teen years. Can't they just stay little?!?
i can relate on so many levels. a 15 and 9 year old over here. upper lip in hair in full swing. aloofness and lunATic-ness in full swing.
except our battle lies with ear-piercings. i'm holding out till #10.
Oh, how I can commiserate! My oldest is in seventh grade and she is starting to get bored with the little makeup I have allowed her to wear – neutral eyeshadow and clear mascara. She already looks 15 without makeup, I'm in no hurry to do anything that makes her look older! And the attitude, well I could go on and on. The thing that scares me is that it will probably only get worse, before it gets better. I guess all I can do is stand my ground and hope we both come out the other side stronger, without driving each other completely insane in the process! 🙂