Oh, You're Never Too Young

Stepmom Rant Catharsis to follow.... whyever do I think I need to qualify a post with a warning about stepmom rants?  I am a stepmom and I get bent out of shape - occasionally.  And you get to hear about some of the misalignments.

Or maybe because it is 2:30 in the morning and I went to bed at 8p.m. when I thought my head would drop on the table, and now I am awake.  Whatever.

T'was a Wednesday before Christmas ... in hopes that my youngest stepdaughter would soon be here ... 
First, for the background filler.  Nearly every year at Christmastime I get to exercise my painting skills.  This is in the form of nail polish - yes I've been practicing for 8 years.   No, it is not my nails - these old, garden worn things?  She requests that I break out the nail polish and paint all kinds of fun things on each nail: snowmen, snowflakes, holly, polka-dots, whatever we can think of and I can fit on the finger with a typical nail polish brush.  In green, red and white, and sometimes gold.

Now I've been outdone in many other ways by The Mother.  Well, that would lend that I am an active participant in the contest.  Headliner:  I am Not, so NA.   
I do X  (like, give sewing lessons), she does Z  (like, stays "up all night sewing" some new doo-dad or other for her daughters - the following week)  and that's the end of it.  Sometimes I do X again, but I don't do Z squared.

It's stepmommy time, so I opened the front door and threw open the screen, when, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a well manicured hand and 10 new acrylic nails.  I knew in a moment it must be from The Mother, for who can spend money like no other?

Hmmm - coincidence this time of year?
She's 14 - too young?

Just when I think my brain can grasp the bottom line of The Mother's paycheck and child support spending capacity, she surprises me with something new.  Maybe I am jealous - afterall, I am getting my very first ever pedicure next week with a group of lovely ladies.  Maybe I am too simple - at 14 I don't really see the need to have clicky, red glittery nails.  Maybe I am overly pragmatic, maybe I am sick of mentioning in excitement my upcoming pedicure only to get filled in on what it's all about by a teenager who's used to being spoiled.  Maybe I don't like spoiled people.   Whatever the case, I couldn't help but to say out loud that it looked like I wouldn't get to paint the Christmas nails this year.

I spoke not more a word, and finished my Christmas cards like a nerd.  Off to bed I went because I was so spent, to awake with a clatter to settle this matter.  So here we are, at an early hour, I'll climb back in bed, to dream of a big sled.   

It's early, and I am surly.

Comments

[Stephanie]

Isn't that the ugliest part of this whole deal? I've never understood the need for the constant upstaging, and I have no doubt that is exactly what The Mother was after. I'm sorry you won't get to do Christmas nails this year for the stepdaughter.

You can do mine when I come back from the Great White North... :)

I'll be jealously thinking of you while you're soaking your toes-ies.

[Scott]

"Catharsis" great word! And the intertwined "Night Before Christmas" flavor is delicious. I enjoyed this post very much.

Merry Christmas!

PS. Tess and the girls won't let me touch their nails with a ten foot pole after the last time I ruined them.

[Tulip Girl]

I am with Steph. I would love for you to paint my nails!

I will see you Monday!

[Kelly]

Well, we can pretty much assume that The Mother has had it with looking at her daughter's holiday nails, so beautifully hand painted with love by her stepmother. So she took care of that! So sad... that she (The Mother)can't want and accept good things out of that daughter/stepmom relationship.

Too young? Most definately! Glad to know I'm not the only one to think that way. My stepdaughter started wearing those large hoop earrings (Big enough to put her fist through) at age 8, getting her eyebrows waxed at 9, and her hair foiled (highlighted) at 10. That was when she no longer wanted me to french braid her beautiful, long, dark hair because it made her look "too young". She now dresses like a hooker and she is barely 13. Can't wait to see what mom allows by 16.

Merry Christmas, Donna! Ours is going to be peaceful, stress free and happy. My steps and their intervening mother will not be here this Christmas to cause havoc. I'm staying in my jammies all day, alternating between large, frothy mugs of hot chocolate and flavored coffee and then popping the cork on my favorite wine by early afternoon. Maybe I'll even paint some snowflakes on my daughter's nails!