My stepson? He loves me. He really does.

Being one of three girls, I grew up with nothing but girly things, (sorry Dad).  Yes, one of my sisters ended up being a 'tomboy' but we definitely had more Barbie dolls than sporting equipment in the house.  And sure I played with WWE figurines just as much as the neighborhood boys with whom I traded my Macho Man Randy Savage for the newest British Bulldog (no brainer, right?).  

So when we got married, I had no idea what to expect from my husband's kids, especially then 12yr old boy, J.  He never says much, keeps to himself and his Xbox and frankly,  we don't have much in common.  I'm this outgoing, cheery and sometimes opinionated Canadian girl who works in the beauty industry,  in other words, I don't knew what a soccer ball looked like but rarely got passed the uniform colors.  While he is the calm, cool and soccer type.

I've been in their lives for nearly 3 years and it's been an incredible journey.  I've learned more from both of my step kids than I could have imagined.  It's hard to know if I'm doing a good 'job' with them... Not being their 'mother' but still playing such an important role at this insanely crazy teenage stage is a huge undertaking.  I accept I have my limits and I might not have all the answers but... I am doing my best.

So, despite this 15yr old man child's quiet and reserved existence, he made my heart melt when I opened my birthday card and read these 2 words, in his own handwriting... "Love you, J."

Hooray for me!  I'm doing something right by him.  According to my loving husband, the boy wasn't even coaxed/threatened/bribed into writing it.  Totally on his own volition.  And that, my friends, is good (parental) stuff. :-)

Lessons? Why? I'm really good.

So my 12 year old step daughter is taking band at school.  She is supposed to practice her saxophone every day so my husband decides to rent her a saxophone so she doesn't have to carry the case back and forth from school to home every night.  Well, though the intention is nice, the playing rarely occurs.  More than once have I signed her weekly practice sheet with gaping holes in it and a few 'incorrect' data points.  Alas, I've accepted that when she does practice, she actually is pretty good.
I'm reminiscent of my 8th grade saxophone fiasco, which involved an ambulance and an angry teacher. (while playing the sax, I fainted and knocked over several sheet stands when I tumbled off my chair.  Minor headache ensued, followed by much ridicule as I was switched to a different instrument, the coveted triangle.)

So when I was looking for summer camps and fun things for this tween to do during her 12week-long summer, music lessons came up.  My husband loves that she likes to play an instrument and so we talked about getting her some private lessons.  Without batting an eye, her response?  "No,  I don't need lessons.  I'm REALLY good." This response killed me.   Seriously, I thought I would die.  Initially, I'm thinking; Who the f#@k do you think you are? John Coltrane? Kenny G maybe? Jeezus girl! Take it down a notch!...  Then my husband, the ever proud father to his spitting image daughter, tells me about how proud he is of her confidence.  Which, in hindsight, I might just be jealous of.  I mean, there's no way I thought I was too good for any kind of musical learning so who am I to judge this 12yr old who seems to know everything?  After all, she might be a child prodigy.  Right? Maybe?.... hmmmm

Basically, she's a 7th grader looking to make the big time.  Any agents out there? :-)