Saturday, and a Dance Segway
Nov. 18th, 2012 01:32 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
altarflameToday, meaning Saturday even though it's now after midnight, was pretty good stuff. There was some fallout - Grant and I continued ongoing difficult conversations, mostly just about his own struggles to balance a life of his own, time for us, and work. Mostly, work takes all these days, and he gives us the dribs and drabs that are left over, with nothing at all for himself. There isn't really a resolution in sight here - basically, that's gonna get worse before it gets better, based on various projects and developments at his company :/ And, also to some smaller degree, Grant's own tendency to fixate on work makes it harder.
But, we talked about all that while sampling Christmas Blend coffee at Fresh Market, walking around The Falls, and having brunch at P.F. Changs. He's gonna go play tennis with Shaun tomorrow, and take Isaac (just the two of them) to Santa's. So, things could be worse.
We were out together while Aaron danced. Normally, Aaron has hip hop for an hour and a half on Saturdays, but now he's also doing 2 hour solo rehearsals - Dance Empire offers students who have made company AND passed all their "tools" (16 individual accomplishments, such as splits in both directions) the "opportunity" to pay $500 to have a solo. For that price, your dancer has one on one lessons with a teacher who helps them prepare a solo that is then in Dance Empire shows, but is also available for use elsewhere - such as auditions into other programs and Magnet schools and such. Costume is extra. Anyway, Aaron is dancing 10 hours per week on full scholarship and no way can I pay $500 for a solo - I don't even want to do extra driving to and from the studio at this point! Buuut. They called me and want to scholarship a solo for him O_O And they made it right after hip hop, such that it's a longer time there on a day he is already going anyway.
They've been outdoing themselves with the celebrity alumni guests, lately. His hip hop class today was surprised when Valerie Moise showed up to teach it:
Not long ago he was going in for special classes taught by Mia Michaels:
He started the solo rehearsing today, and he was nervous, but he liked it a lot, which made me happy for him because he is NOT having a good week. A combination of pre-adolescent attitude, special SPD challenges, and who the hell knows what have made us butt heads non.stop. As of right now, his laptop has been in my closet for over a week, not to be given back until his room is clean. He's grounded from going outside, because I couldn't find him for 20 minutes out past his curfew. He must have had 5 time outs and a lecture yesterday, before finally losing his chance at a sleepover this weekend, because he won't do his chores. It's absolute hell to deal with this crap with him because he does NOT get obnoxious or loud or rude in any way - he apologizes sincerely, acts surprised and then heartbroken by consequences, and is wandering around oblivious soon after, again, regardless.
Ananda went to the book fair with friends, today, and I told him I couldn't let him go if it was gonna be a group of teenagers with no adults breaking off and meeting back up :/ I just don't think he's ready for those levels of crowds in that kind of packed event setting without an adult who'll basically keep a hand on him at all times.
He also broke his plasma ball this evening. So soon after finding the missing power cord. But he found his missing Vibram under laundry while cleaning, too, so he doesn't have to keep doing socks and laces anytime he wants to step out the front door. Aaron's life; a mixed bag :p We bought him a Brony wallet for Christmas while we were out.
Anyway, Isaac (aside from being SO EXCITED about going to Santa's alone with Daddy tomorrow...) got a haircut today. It's his first professional haircut and he's pretty happy about it.
I took a nice walk with Elise - which means I walk, and she runs to each corner and waits for me to catch up, so we can cross together, and repeat. When I still had a bike this worked better because I could just stay next to her and she wouldn't have to stop!
She's becoming downright wiry. My lovely little beasty.
Today is day #2 successful on WW. I'm definitely finding myself more irritable around bedtime - as though I should just go to sleep because this isn't even WORTH being awake! - but it's not unbearable or anything thus far.
And, some things are worth staying up for.
Grant checked in on facebook, at "Walker Backyard Theater."
I'm going to have to start researching therapists and OA groups in Maryland at some point in the near future, I suppose (my previous entry, from earlier before the movie, is about our Maryland-ing for the day...) - and a pediatrician, and a pediatric gastroenterologist, for Isaac, and a gynecologist, and an MD, and perhaps I should dig through the copious homeschool groups to filter for the good ones. Not to mention, uh, the legal requirements in a new state, which I have really only skimmed so far. I need to have a folder dedicated to this full of links, info and so on. Obviously we can move without all of it in place, but it seems natural if we know we're going months in advance to start amassing information.
Speaking of homeschool groups, PATH got free tickets to A Christmas Carol at the Actor's Playhouse :) We're going to see it the week after Thanksgiving.
And...I think that's it. I'm out of words and I think my body is through with consciousness.
But, we talked about all that while sampling Christmas Blend coffee at Fresh Market, walking around The Falls, and having brunch at P.F. Changs. He's gonna go play tennis with Shaun tomorrow, and take Isaac (just the two of them) to Santa's. So, things could be worse.
We were out together while Aaron danced. Normally, Aaron has hip hop for an hour and a half on Saturdays, but now he's also doing 2 hour solo rehearsals - Dance Empire offers students who have made company AND passed all their "tools" (16 individual accomplishments, such as splits in both directions) the "opportunity" to pay $500 to have a solo. For that price, your dancer has one on one lessons with a teacher who helps them prepare a solo that is then in Dance Empire shows, but is also available for use elsewhere - such as auditions into other programs and Magnet schools and such. Costume is extra. Anyway, Aaron is dancing 10 hours per week on full scholarship and no way can I pay $500 for a solo - I don't even want to do extra driving to and from the studio at this point! Buuut. They called me and want to scholarship a solo for him O_O And they made it right after hip hop, such that it's a longer time there on a day he is already going anyway.
They've been outdoing themselves with the celebrity alumni guests, lately. His hip hop class today was surprised when Valerie Moise showed up to teach it:
Not long ago he was going in for special classes taught by Mia Michaels:
He started the solo rehearsing today, and he was nervous, but he liked it a lot, which made me happy for him because he is NOT having a good week. A combination of pre-adolescent attitude, special SPD challenges, and who the hell knows what have made us butt heads non.stop. As of right now, his laptop has been in my closet for over a week, not to be given back until his room is clean. He's grounded from going outside, because I couldn't find him for 20 minutes out past his curfew. He must have had 5 time outs and a lecture yesterday, before finally losing his chance at a sleepover this weekend, because he won't do his chores. It's absolute hell to deal with this crap with him because he does NOT get obnoxious or loud or rude in any way - he apologizes sincerely, acts surprised and then heartbroken by consequences, and is wandering around oblivious soon after, again, regardless.
Ananda went to the book fair with friends, today, and I told him I couldn't let him go if it was gonna be a group of teenagers with no adults breaking off and meeting back up :/ I just don't think he's ready for those levels of crowds in that kind of packed event setting without an adult who'll basically keep a hand on him at all times.
He also broke his plasma ball this evening. So soon after finding the missing power cord. But he found his missing Vibram under laundry while cleaning, too, so he doesn't have to keep doing socks and laces anytime he wants to step out the front door. Aaron's life; a mixed bag :p We bought him a Brony wallet for Christmas while we were out.
Anyway, Isaac (aside from being SO EXCITED about going to Santa's alone with Daddy tomorrow...) got a haircut today. It's his first professional haircut and he's pretty happy about it.
I took a nice walk with Elise - which means I walk, and she runs to each corner and waits for me to catch up, so we can cross together, and repeat. When I still had a bike this worked better because I could just stay next to her and she wouldn't have to stop!
She's becoming downright wiry. My lovely little beasty.
Today is day #2 successful on WW. I'm definitely finding myself more irritable around bedtime - as though I should just go to sleep because this isn't even WORTH being awake! - but it's not unbearable or anything thus far.
And, some things are worth staying up for.
Grant checked in on facebook, at "Walker Backyard Theater."
I'm going to have to start researching therapists and OA groups in Maryland at some point in the near future, I suppose (my previous entry, from earlier before the movie, is about our Maryland-ing for the day...) - and a pediatrician, and a pediatric gastroenterologist, for Isaac, and a gynecologist, and an MD, and perhaps I should dig through the copious homeschool groups to filter for the good ones. Not to mention, uh, the legal requirements in a new state, which I have really only skimmed so far. I need to have a folder dedicated to this full of links, info and so on. Obviously we can move without all of it in place, but it seems natural if we know we're going months in advance to start amassing information.
Speaking of homeschool groups, PATH got free tickets to A Christmas Carol at the Actor's Playhouse :) We're going to see it the week after Thanksgiving.
And...I think that's it. I'm out of words and I think my body is through with consciousness.
