it's just a little crush. . .

. . . but, pretty please, don't tell benjamin that beth peters got married today. 

after finding out that Millie is not a real person just this week, i'm not sure his little heart could take it. 

here he is, being confused as to what it means to "have a crush on beth."

and here they are at the RA training banquet. :) 

much love and happiness to Mike and Beth!

from all of the Savvy fam. 

but ben. 

who just isn't quite there yet. 

how musicals crushed ben's spirit

so, this week is the annual Off The Lake cabaret here at Ohio State.
if you have been reading for a while, you will know that this service-based musical theatre student organization is near and dear to my heart.

i love me some theatre.
especially musicals.
last night, i received an email from anth's school district highlighting a theater-based day camp being offered on an upcoming school holiday.
i was excited to share it with him.
he listened to my email and immediately started to freak out and beg me not to send him.
(boo.)
(although, in fairness, i also don't like being on stage. i want him to go to get over this fear earlier in life than i did.)
benny immediately started to run in circles around the room yelling, "i want to go sing and dance!"
(watch what you ask for kid.)

recently, i have been listening to a lot of folk music, but i wanted to get into the spirit for some musical theatre fun this weekend.
the first CD i grabbed out of my pile in the car door was Thoroughly Modern Millie.
fun.
festive.
and more appropriate for car rides with the boys than Spring Awakening and other more recent shows.

ben and i have been listening to this for a few days now during our rides in to work in the morning.
(bern and i have a strategic plan for both pick up and drop off, so i'm ben on the way in and anth on the way home.)

we had two. . . "moments". . . today related to this show.

the first one involved me being reminded that  my hair is gray for a reason.
this one came when i tried to describe to benny that the tap sequence in the show sounds like a typewriter.
and he said, "what's a typewriter?"
and i replied with, "i can google that for you later."
womp.

the second one was harder to resolve.
this one came when, based on a question benny asked, i had to explain that Millie was not  a real person.
because, unlike benny had previously believed, Thoroughly Modern Millie is not, in fact, a true story.
this literally upset him.
to the point that i was squatting outside of his door in the daycare parking lot, coaxing him to get out of the car and face the day.
it's a harsh reality.
people won't always break out in an oddly appropriate, and pre-choreographed, song to help you face life's issues, benny.
but this gal thinks the world would be a whole lot better if they did.

why benny is grounded from gum

i look away for one minute. . .
and suddenly the whole car smells like mint:

the consequences of this?
#1- being grounded from gum (this is a new one) for the rest of the week.

and, the even harsher, according to ben,
#2- having to drive all the way home with your hands in the air.

 it's a good thing he's cute. . .

or i might have grounded him from sugar.
or some other such unfathomable thing.

(note: ben is currently looking over my shoulder. he wanted me to tell you that "this really wasn't as very fun as i thought. it was just kind of yuck.")
a word to the wise from someone who's been there. . .

i think kids to this on purpose. . .

or is it just US that this happens to every time we are at the park?

i mean, let's be real. 

i love a good jungle gym. . .

i just don't like it to actually LOOK like i like it more than the 4-year-old i brought to the park. 

fail photo: the bed is only so wide

some moms?

probably see this and think things like,

"gee, i should help him," or

"poor kid, let's tuck him back in," or, at a bare minimum, 

"that can't be comfortable."

me? 
i ran for my phone to get a picture. 

#parentoftheyearawardnominee
#mycampaignkeepsgettingbetter