Oh, Ange...

Since the time she was a baby, Angelina has been my "spirited" child. She marches to the beat of her own drummer. She looks for a different way to do the most common of things. About two years ago, when I pointed out to her that the lines on the coloring page were meant to be colored in, not over, she looked at me and said "oh, Mommy - everyone colors in the lines. I'm going to do it different." And she does different so well.

We went to brunch on Sunday to celebrate my birthday with my parents. It's our little post-recital tradition. This year, we went to Lib's Grill - which is rapidly becoming a favorite stop for Sunday brunch. I ordered pancakes and eggs for the baby first thing and asked for a take out container to serve him from, since we were seated at a hightop table and the highchairs wouldn't reach. Our server brought us two - but they weren't the standard foam takeout containers. They were fancy brown, coated cardstock containers - Chinese takeout style (without the handle). I used one for Nick - and the other sat, ignored, at the end of the table.

Ignored, until Angelina was done eating. Within minutes of her finishing her meal, Ange had discovered the second container, waiting for her at the end of the table. Seconds later, Angelina had a new hat.

Now - back in our college/post-college days, Rich and I would have made a similar hat out of a discarded box from a consumed case of beer, and we would have called it the "asshole hat." Watching my beautiful, spirited, amazing daughter dancing around Lib's Grill with a takeout box on her head, all I could think of was our "asshole hat."

I was suddenly petrified of what she will be like as a college student.