The Princess of Quite A Lot in 2006

The Princess of Quite A Lot has returned to her throne. After a long summer with her father she is back an inch or so taller and with about ten percent more attitude. The house is a different place without her – quieter, less purposeful. But now that she is back all the hustle, bustle and exaggeration that comes with being 10 is swirling around here.

At lunch yesterday I met a new faculty member at the university with two young children (ages three and four) and it reminded me of how quickly the time goes. Of course I cautioned the mommy to enjoy every moment as the time just flies by and before you know it they are 10. But yesterday I noted to myself as Cheyenne told me a hundred things about her summer in five minutes that soon I would lament that my 10 year old had grown up. And so I did what I am so good at prescribing for others – I enjoyed every moment with my girl last night and it was good – tiring and exhilarating all at once – but good.

It is lovely to have the Princess of Quite A Lot back home. Now, the Queen of Everything needs to make sure she takes her vitamins every day to keep up.The Kingdom has to recalibrate the drama-meter and keep in mind that the Princess’s presence has a ripple effect across all things, from creatures to inanimate objects. Everything changes a bit when the Princess is in the Kingdom. The sounds in the Kingdom go up a few decibels, there is displacement of items that heretofore stayed in the place they were put, and even the basic movement around the Kingdom changes.

Gone are the days of sitting where you’d like in the Kingdom in solitude. It is back to navigating around a lounging Princess or having her lounge on you once you settle into a comfortable spot. It is back to the days of “Is there anything good to eat around here?” It is back to “Oh My God Mom…” and “Mother!” It is back to the moments where the King and the Princess work in collaboration to convince the Queen to do things that one alone could not otherwise convince her to do. It is back to the chaos and pandemonium of picking just the right outfit at the last possible moment. It is back to the hugs and the laughter and the joy of having a 10 year old bouncing off the walls.  It is back to life as we know it in the Kingdom.

These changes are noted by the Queen and King of Everything with a quiet joy coupled with a knowing exhaustion. Sheee’s back!! And all is right in the Kingdom.

Day forty-four of the new forty – obla di obla da

CC