Jo Cool Mama

We took our Boyz and my niece to see Santa the Sunday of Christmas week and they were so cute! Samma wanted to dress up in his PJ’s that made him look like the boy from the Polar Express movie and my niece dressed up in her pretty Christmas dress. Baby Jack, we figured, would not want Santa holding him, as many children don’t – freaky old man in a large bright suit…we figured right! My niece went up first, sat on Santa’s lap and they talked for a little bit, the elves took the picture, they talked a little more, then Santa handed her a candy cane and that was that.

Samma went up next and he had a lot to say to old Saint Nick! He even brought his Polar Express sleigh bell that adults cannot hear *wink*. Santa asked Samma what he wanted for Christmas and Sam said, “Ghost Ship.” Their picture took like five tries because Samma was looking every direction except at the camera helper elf. Then the one they “got” really wasn’t that great, but they were having issues…

Anyhow – after Santa we walked over to this sandwich place for a bite to eat before heading back home. We were all sitting and eating when Samma asked his cousin what she told Santa she wanted for Christmas. My niece answered in a low soft voice, “That I want to be with my daddy.” Sammy, not at all understanding the importance or the pain behind what she had just asked for, says, “What? I didn’t hear you.” My niece was starting to cry and did not want to repeat the answer, so I jumped in and diverted the topic of conversation.

After we we got back to my mother’s house (where my niece lives with her) I sent a text to my brother and told him what his daughter asked Santa for. He was already feeling badly because he had wanted to come up from Vegas to be with her, but couldn’t get the time off either of his two jobs to make it happen. After my sister-in-law (my niece’s step mother) thought about it and realized just how depressed my brother was over the situation, dove in and together they devised a plan to get him up here in time for Christmas morning. She searched the airlines for last minute flights out of Vegas and into Reno, but was unable to find one for Christmas Eve! Finally, they decided he would rent a car in Vegas and drive up to Carson City (where my mother lives), and fly home on Christmas day. No one but my brother and his wife, and Scott and I knew about the plan… It was going to be the best gift ever if everything worked out. The weather was a major player in the plan not working as the entire state of Nevada was on storm watch! We were all excited and holding our breath the entire day! My brother didn’t even get home until after midnight from work and wasn’t able to leave the house until after noon Christmas Eve! I was texting my sister-in-law frantically all morning and when he finally was able to get out there was a peace that came with the idea that he was on the road. He was now in motion of coming, the plan was in play and this was going to be the best Christmas surprise we have ever pulled off!

Christmas Eve we packed the Boyz and gifts into the car, picked up a friend on the way and headed to my mother’s for dinner. We were in the middle of opening gifts when I got a call from my brother announcing he was in town – an hour earlier than I had expected him arriving! I grabbed my friend (who was now part of the plan) and we dashed outside to meet him in the street. I had grabbed a large bow off one of the gifts and was able to sneak it out without anyone catching on. I cannot express into words what I felt when I saw his rental car turn the corner and pull up in front of us, but as Sammy would say, “It was a Christmas miracle!” I ran in and gathered everyone into the kitchen while my friend “found a man walking around outside looking for a girl named Keirra.” I got my niece up close to the door and I asked her, “Tell me again what you told Santa what you wanted for Christmas.” and again she said with a cocked head and a question in her voice, “That I wanted to see my daddy…?” At that exact moment the back door opened and my friend popped in and she said, “Ummm, I found his man outside.”  and in walked my brother… My niece ran to her father with a giant hug, my mother burst into tears, I fought back tears as did my friend who was witness to the best gift a daddy could give his little girl at Christmas!

What else can I say? It was sad that he had to leave so soon, and I know all my niece wants in her life is her daddy and that wish is not far from becoming a reality. Every princess gets a happy ending – right?

Sammy’s been in a tumbling class for a little over two years and he loves going! Although, we have had issues with how often the class gets a new instructor. We started out with a lady who was by all means awesome! She was forced to quit because she was holding down two jobs and had five kids at home – very understandable why she needed to stop this tumbling position and be home with her family. The next teacher was not as awesome but she was totally willing to work with the kids and make it a nice experence for them. She was forced to quit because she got some freaky kind of laryngitis and the doctors pretty much said if she didn’t stop this job where her voice was being stressed, she would lose her voice forever! Not good, and totally understandable why she had to go. Then we got another lady who was pretty good with the kids, but her time with the class was cut short when she suffered a violent death in her family! Another perfectly good reason to quit and totally understandable! That’s where the problems really started… The company was trying to fill the position with a sub until the one lady with a death in the family felt like returning to work. They were sticking teenage girls with a bunch of toddlers and wanting them to teach them! Sam was acting out one night (not bad, just goofing around) and the little teen in charge of the class decided to punish him and hold him out of the castle (the last really fun thing all the kids look forward to) for five minutes! He was four and five minutes was a lifetime to him! I stood up and told the little teenaged girl that I was not okay with that and the fact that he’s only four-years-old with a five minute time out being forced to watch the other kids play on the castle was not fair! I used the word “torture” to express how strongly I felt. The girl’s eyes grew with fear like a deer in the headlights as I went off. I told her to bring him to me and we were going to leave! I did go back because Sammy begged to go and we never saw teenage girl again… happily. After teenage girl the company found a mother who was willing to teach the class. All the parents were relieved at this and ready for someone to come in and get these kids back on improving their skill. The lady was nice and after awhile got better, but in the beginning she wanted me to go out and help with Sam. The kids were not listening – and can you blame them? They have a different instructor every week! I did not want to go out and help – really, I am tired and I don’t want to pay for a class I have to go help out with. I had done it in the past and I was just done with it. So, I switched classes to a morning class because Sam’s very first teacher was teaching a morning class during the summer – and we went back to her amazing skill with the kids. Then school started and we needed to switch back to an evening class and back to the mom instructor. Although, she had improved during our summer months away from her and we started to really like her… Then she was forced to quit! Come on! Again, it was totally understandable because they weren’t paying her enough to live. Once again it was a different instructor every week and again Sam and other kids were acting out. They hired a young lady who clearly was annoyed with the young children right off. Our first class with new girl and Sam cuts in line – who cares, he’s five (I even asked his teacher what she thought and she said the same thing – he’s five, it’s not important) – the boy starts crying as if Sam had punched him in the face! New girl marches over to Sam, grabs him by the arm, marches him back to crying boy and proceeds to explain why you don’t cut in line. Meanwhile Sam is having a fit because new girl won’t let go of his arm. Sammy hates being held – but what kid likes being held by the arm in an angry way? Annoyed, new girl sat Sam out because he wasn’t listening. I shot up, rushed out, picked up Sam, took him into the bathroom and said, “Let’s go! Mommy is very upset at your new teacher.” Sammy was crying and he kept saying, “No Mommy, don’t be mad at her! I am sorry for cutting in line!” I allowed him to return to class and watched new girl carefully – because one more grab and we are done! She had no right to grab him in that fashion! The next week went okay, but the following week we arrived late and when I took Sam out to his class new girl rolled her eyes at the sight of Sam! Sam was having a good time and she wasn’t touching him – so I continued to allow Sam to go if he wanted to. Then a couple of weeks ago new girl pushed me over the edge! Sammy was acting out (still cannot blame him and he wasn’t the only one) and the crybaby from the line cut had bonked heads with another kid and was crying (surprise). While the instructor was looking at his head a bunch of kids started playing and goofing around – pretty normal if you ask me. Sam was hiding under a half moon mat and freaked new girl out so much that when she found him she grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out to me! I got up and bit my tongue because what I wanted to say was not good in the company of the small children or their parents. My adrenaline was pumping and I simply shook my head and motioned for her to give him to me. She was trying to explain why and offer her meaningless, “I am really sorry, but…” True sorry is not followed with “but.” I finally said, “Just give him to me!” Poor little Sammy was upset and freaking out as we went up to the front desk to tell them that we are not coming back and that we are done. I kept telling Sammy that I was not mad or upset with him, but I think it was hard for the poor little fella to understand that. I complained to the front desk lady and then the owner overheard me and I complained to her as well. I know a few other parents who are not happy with the new girl either, and I hope that they say something, because when people are working with your children they need to be right for the job. New girl is not warm and loving, nor is she happy and bubbly – it is loud and clear she hates her job with the little guys and she needs to be either fired or removed from the job of working with the small children. The front desk lady asked if I could do her class on Saturday mornings and I told her we would try it out… We went on Saturday morning and the front desk lady redeemed our faith in good teaching at tumbling. She was patient, kind, smiley and energitic. Not once did she yell at Sam or grab him and when Sam and other children strayed a little she gently brought them back. That’s the way it should be done – you should never go and have to be on mama bear alert when your child is involved in an activity.