The other night Stan asked me about President’s day weekend.  What are our plans, he wanted to know?  So, I launched into great detail about what was on our schedule…

The boys both have hockey tournaments in Philadelphia with four games a piece and Claire has a dance competition in Portsmouth.  It’s gonna be a busy, busy weekend, I told him.  I went on to lay out the plan ~ me with Claire and Stan to Philly with the boys.

I have to say, I was a little disappointed to think about missing a weekend of hockey.  It’s their last weekend of hockey for the year and I was a little sad.  For some reason, I don’t feel like I got my fill of hockey this season.  Stan has traveled to both big tournament weekends and with Lucas not playing for the past couple of weekends I just feel like I haven’t gotten enough…that’s the wacky hockey mom in me talking.

I know it’s easier and better if I go with Claire and Stan goes with the boys.  It’s easier because I know the ins and outs of hair, make-up, tights and all the accouterments that go with the dance world.  Stan doesn’t.  It’s better because I can easily switch from dance mama to hockey mama in a heartbeat.  Stan is not quite so fortunate.  He was raised with only brothers.  Claire is the first Pokrywka born female in 57 years.  To say the Pokrywka’s are male oriented is an understatement.  Stan understands all things boy…not so true with Claire and her activities.  So it’s just easier to keep things status quo.

But, Stan decided to switch things up on me ~ keeping me on my toes, I guess.  “How do you think Claire would feel if I took her to her dance competition,” he asked.  I told him I didn’t think it would go over too well…for the following reasons ~

Stan can’t do hair.  He can’t.  He’s tried to braid my hair in the past.  He’s tried ponytails for Claire.  He can’t do it.  Well, maybe can’t is a strong word…maybe it’s more like doesn’t like doing it so he doesn’t try.  He assured me he could do her hair.  “No, problem,” he said.  OK, if you’re willing to try, I thought.

Next, he can’t do make-up.  He has no idea what goes where and why.  Claire said to him, as he was trying to convince her to let him take her, “Dad, you don’t even know what mascara is!”  His response was immediate and concise “I do so know what mascara is.  It’s that stuff that makes your eyelashes longer and bigger.”  He’s never applied any type of make-up, ever, so this issue is a big one.

But he’s bound and determined to do it.  He wants to do it.  He’s told Claire he wants to go hang out with her.  He’s gotten to do one on one weekends with the boys this year but not with her.  She has acquiesced and is excited about hanging with her dance dad.  And today was the day to practice the hair.

Not too bad for his first attempt!