APRIL FOOLS! and on to 4th grade

Though I am writing this in August, Lorin's April Fools Day was noteworthy enough to go back in time and tell a good story:

Thanks to my auntees growing up, April Fools day isn't complete without a memorable trick. And thanks to last year's AF (which included Lorin in the tub, and me telling her a kid just stole her bike out of our garage...encouraging her to get dressed in whatever she could find and run after him) I knew Lorin was a good sport and seemed to get a kick out of it all.

So...this year I came up with a plan, emailed her teacher the night before and ran it by Cory to make sure I wasn't going too far. The next morning I told Lorin "Your teacher emailed me and said that it's Sherlock Holmes Day at school today--all the kids are suppose to come to school with a mustache." "Really?...cool!" was the response. The pictures above show plenty. What they don't show is Cory taking the pics while he's laughing it up and me, in my pregnant glory, giggling the whole time I'm using my eyeliner pencil to draw it on. There was "Why are you guys laughing" from Lorin and amused looks from Izzy and Ryan.

This is how it went in my mind the night before: she will barely get there on time, head straight to class, her teacher (forewarned remember) will tell her April Fools! from Mom and she will wash it off. Done.

On the contrary, according to Lorin and the other eye-witnesses I was able to interview, here's how it went: I forgot I had to be to Izzy's cancer appointment that early and so dropped her off 15 min before the bell--just enough time to be questioned by her classmates in which she replied "It's Sherlock Holmes day, didn't you know?" They, of course, thought they must have missed the memo. Meanwhile she and a friend get asked by the office to appear on the Morning News that will be broadcast in every room via TV to wish Mrs. Gullickson, her teacher, a happy birthday. On my way to Plano, I am sweatin' it, wondering if I had gone too far this year. I even tried to call Mrs. G to make sure she was laughing and not crying, but to no avail. Her appearance at class created the exact response I had anticipated with the teacher saying April Fools! and Lorin going "Moooooooooom!" Before she could wash it off (and it was very washable) she got scooted out the door to P.E. She sat on the floor criss-cross-apple-sauce to listen to instructions with her class and the other class that joined them. She put her elbow on her knee and then her hand up to her mouth--licking and discreetly wiping...deflecting questions with "What are you talking about? I wasn't on Morning News!" On her way back to class a 5th grader asked her "Hey aren't you the girl that had a mustache?" to which she responded, "Oh no, that wasn't me, it was my twin sister...her name is...Sara...she's in Mrs. Heiner's class." He totally bought it and questioned no more!

I finally finished with Izzy's doctor, and raced back to Wellington Elementary in time to have lunch with Lorin. As soon as she saw me she ran and gave me a big hug. Whew! I was relieved! We chatted in the hall for a while about how it all went down. She mentioned it was the most embarrassing thing ever and I apologized. To my surprise she told me she was glad I did fun things like that. When we went into the lunchroom to sit by all of her good friends, they were laughing it up and saying "that mustache was awesome!" and "I wish my Mom did stuff like that." OK, I'M NOT MAKING THIS UP! They really did say that! Before Lorin ran off to recess she told me I was the best mom ever. REALLY, I'M NOT KIDDING!

Needless to say, she is quite the amazing girl. I really could not / would not have done that to just anyone. It will go down in the April Fools history book though, huh?!

This is her and her daddy-daughter Invention Convention project.
This is the morning of the first day of 4th grade (1st for Izzy). Another quick story...2 days into 4th grade Mrs. Alday asked for people to pick their opposite gender partner for science lab. Boys choice. None of them would choose (cooties much?!), so she opened it up to the girls. Lorin was the only one who raised her hand and said, "I want Jeff" very unaffected and matter-of-factly. Her teacher replied, "Wow, you are very mature, Lorin." She was pretty proud of that later. I asked her why she chose Jeff and she said it was because he's the smartest boy in the class.

As much as I feel bad about how tough we have been on our first born, she has turned out to be one awesome girl!