buns of destiny

Did I mention the husband introduced Star Wars to the kids and then they loved it and decided they wanted to dress in Star Wars costumes for Halloween and then the library did a Star Wars day a month before that so we got the costumes all ready for that completely with homemade light sabers by the husband and then the kids ended up on the cover of the newspaper?

So the kids dressed up for the church Trunk or Treat Wednesday in the same garb, and then again for the school parties on Thursday.  I'd done WonderGirl's hair up in Leia form for all the other stuff, and she asked for it again, but after I dropped her off at school Thursday, I started to panic.  What if there was a rule against large, distracting side buns?  What if the teacher got annoyed that I'd done it - since they weren't supposed to don costumes until after lunch and maybe the other kids couldn't concentrate because of her hair and then the teacher doesn't say anything to me about it but just gives me this look that says "nuuuuu uhhhhh"??

When I go to drop the Dude off for afternoon 4K, she has recess so she'll run up tot he car and we'll chat as I walk into the school.  I couldn't wait to see her and find out if I'd ruined her life.  She came running up to me with a big grin and told me about the stuff she'd done in class that morning.  And how no teacher had given her hair a second look.  PHEW.

But as I walked away a bit and turned to go into the school, I saw a girl run up to WG and ask loudly who she was trying to look like.  My stomach sank.  This girl was in her class last year and I'd gone in to help every week, and knew this girl was a Mean Girl.  She pushed people out of the way, bragged incessantly and always looked for a way to make sure people knew she was better than them.  She'd started the year out by excluding WG and I was glad WG had moved up a grade so she wouldn't be in the same one as this girl.  I was also glad WG was getting a better education, connecting with peers and was happy, but hey -  that was a side perk.  

Anywho, when I saw this girl run up to WG, I almost ran over to deflect her and shoo her off.  We'd talked a lot about how to handle mean girls, but that doesn't mean a mom wants to see her kid go through it, right?  But I held back for a second and watched as WG smiled, posed and asked her confidently who she thought she was supposed to be.  I couldn't stand there to see what happened next, but I spent the rest of the afternoon in knots, wondering how things turned out, but heartened by WG's confidence.

When I picked her up, I tried to act nonchalant when I asked her what had happened next. "Oh, I had to give her some clues but she figured it out."

"And then..?"

She shrugged.  "I walked away.  I knew the next thing she'd say would probably be not-so-nice and I don't need to be around that."

I fist pumped internally.  And then a little again today when I saw this girl and a small group of followers pushing another kid around, while mine was playing in another part of the playground, not needing to put anyone else down.

I really dig my kids.