Annabelle turned 11 last month. And all the people (herself included) mourned. She was not interested in her big day leading up to it, so I had to drum up the excitement for both of us, while sniffling back my own sadness.
At the exact moment she turned 11, she was outside (a favorite place), wearing a favorite shirt and the purple cross bracelet she never wears off. Ryan&Rose should give us stock in their business for all the cross bracelets I’ve bought from them over the years. This is why I love taking her picture precisely when she turns her new age. It always shows exactly who she was without being a staged photo session.
Sesame chose to have a few school friends over to celebrate. She was adamant it NOT be called a party. It was a “play date get together” that happened to be the day after her birthday and had cake and gifts, but wasn’t called a party. That would be too stressful for her. She lived in a land where a rose wasn’t called a rose. A land where I put up birthday banners and balloons and made a cake for a playdate get together.
All AB requested for her cake was that it be chocolate. She didn’t voice any opinions on design. I decided it to make it a favorite things cake. It had, among other things, drama, family, basketball, her Bible, bread, her favorite podcast, and bread.
I bought two tiny orange dollhouse cats, but had to repaint one to look like Lucy. Lucy refused to stay in the kitchen while I painted her, so I had to follow her into the bedroom. It was yet another unexpected activity of motherhood. I never pictured myself painting a cat on the bedroom floor two hours before my baby’s birthday party.
One of AB’s greatest joys during her tenth year was performing in shows. She loves drama. She was in Beauty and the Beast the weekend before her birthday as a townsperson, milkmaid, and chef/utensil.
I’m not sure why, but it has been my goal since AB began her theater career to have my name in the program. I always help extensively, but parent volunteers are not mentioned by name as helping is expected. To have my name printed is something I talk about every single show but it a dream that never comes true. This year, I helped more with costumes than any other year. I sewed and glued and tied people in. I almost had “assistant to the costume designer” business cards printed up. Within 24 hours of helping the first day, the email arrived to proofread actor and crew names before the list was sent to the tshirt printer. There was my name, right below Annabelle’s! Fourth from the top! All I had to do was stand in a crowded room and sew elastic to be included on the shirt! The shirt was beyond my wildest expectations. Never did I dream so far into the stars. (You need to get out more, Sarah. Yes, yes I know.)
It wasn’t until after the show that it occurred to me they may not have meant to include me on the shirt.
The actors names are listed in two columns, with the director, choreographer, costume designer, etc listed in a row along the bottom. I was listed with the actors. I was never in front of the curtain. I said nary a line. Yet there I am, between a milkmaid and Cogsworth the clock. I don’t know if I was supposed to be on the bottom or not listed at all. I shall never ask the powers that be. I shall forever live in the joy of having my name on the back of the shirt and if anyone asks, tell them I was the Fairy Godmother.
