The Cuddle Club

I know.

My mind went the way of the dirty side of a double entendre too.

But, you know, that is just yet another example of "where does she come from?"

Right, not me.

Carmella.

Alternative post title I suppose is: The Good Girl Club And My Mommy Was Never In It.

I kid.

I wasn't a bad girl.

Really.

I have never been arrested and only got detention once because I was chewing gum in Spanish class. You could chew gum in every class but Spanish class (I mean I could chew gum in Latin so it wasn't a foreign language thing; just a Spanish class thing). I had forgot I had the gum. So I got busted. It was embarrassing. I mean if I am going to get in trouble it isn't going to be for something dumb like chewing gum. If it matters the teacher rescinded the detention because he didn't want to have to stay after. So technically, I have never actually had detention.

But nevertheless, I definitely wasn't a good girl either. Oh, but I have lots of friends who are good girls--Tara, Steph, Meme, Mel--if that counts.

I guess you could say I was in the Pot Stirring Shenanigans Club.
Right.
Yes, Beau is a member of this club too.

And yes, we know where he comes from.

On Saturday when I picked Carmella up from her sleep over and I mentioned that she should have an end of the year sleep over with a few friends. Her eyes got all big and dreamy and she said "Oh yes! We could have the Cuddle Club!"

Me: I'm sorry, the what club?
My mind flashed to that day where Dee Dee (fellow Pot Stirrer club member) and I sat in the Barnes Noble kids section reading to Max and Carmella. And how we could not stop giggling about the line in The Runaway Bunny where the Mommy bunny says something like "I'll be the wind and blow you. . ." And I won't even tell you which line from The Owl and The Pussycat that we laughed so hard we almost wet our pants.

Carmella further explains: The Cuddle Club. It is me, Ashton, Reina, and Nazneen. We are good girls.

Me: Uhm, so what do you do in this club-- cuddle and hug each other?

Carmella: No we are just sweet girls and we have a secret handshake.

She then eyes Beau--who is not paying attention-- and shows me some of the motions in the secret handshake and the chant. (hugs, kisses, "love" "love")

Carmella: And we believe in being kind to everyone, eating our fruits and vegetables and loving each other.

Me: Wow. That sounds like a very nice club. Who thought this up?

Carmella: Me.

Later in the day I tell Ryan about the Cuddle Club. So when Carmella brings him a toy to change the battery in he tells her he will only change it if she lets him in the Cuddle Club.

Carmella leaves the room for a minute--I guess to consider it-- and then comes back.

"Okay Daddy. You can be in the club. But you should know that our leader is Mr. Apple and you are going to have to give up junk food."

Ryan: Oh, well, then I'm out.


Yesterday I received an email from Carmella's teacher saying the principal was going to honor my sugar and spice and everything sweet girl with the Award for Outstanding Character. When I asked Carmella if she knew she was getting an award she said no. Then she asked if everyone else was getting one too. I told her I didn't think so. Of course this worried her and she said "Oh, I really hope everyone gets one."

And see, I am not sure if Carmella was worried about having to be the only one getting an award and the attention that would come with that; Or because everyone else's feelings would be hurt because they didn't get an award too.

At any rate I can assure you that I never got an award for Outstanding Character or anything close to that but if I did I probably wouldn't have been concerned about other people.
Which, then again, might be why I have never gotten an Outstanding Character Award. But you know, I feel like somehow, surely, I must have something to do with my daughter getting one. And at the very least that makes me believe that maybe there is still hope of me getting an invite to the Cuddle Club.

Then again, I am sure I would get bored of all that kindness, eat some sugar and create some pot stirring shennigans.