The Angry Princess, and some other stuff.

Sarah
fem. proper name, Biblical wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac, from Heb., lit. "princess," from sarah,  fem. of sar  "prince," from sarar  "he ruled," related to Akkad. sharratu  "queen." Popular as a name for girls born in U.S. in 1870s and 1978-2000.

When we decided on a name for our 3rd baby, little did we realize how exactly we'd hit the nail on the head. I have never seen such a princess in all my life. Of course, when we say she's a princess, it's usually preceded by 'spoiled'. And sometimes spoiled is followed by 'brat' instead of princess.

If you know Sarah in person, you may find it hard to believe that sweet, funny, somewhat shy Sarah can act like a little tyrant, but I'm telling you it's true - and now I have proof. At soccer on Saturday morning - we were there for all of an hour because Evie and William were both playing at the same time, and I split my time up trying to get pictures of both games - Sarah was having an absolute fit because I wouldn't let her play with my phone. So I took pictures of her :)

Now, as you look at these pictures, playing the following soundtrack in your head:
  • I WANT to play ON YOUR PHONE!
  • I HATE you MOM!!!!
  • NOBODY IS LISTENING TO ME!
  • PPPPTHHHHFFFFFPPPPPTHHHH! (Or however you type out someone blowing raspberries at you).

Repeat the above a few times in your head and observe:









These are the many angry faces of Sarah that we see a couple of times a day. I have never seen a little girl get her nose so high up in the air, and sometimes I think her eyebrows might reach her hairline. She crosses her arms, stomps around, and makes such a racket you'd think she was in horrible pain. I keep thinking that Sarah will figure out that she doesn't get what she wants by behaving this way, but so far it's not sinking in. And sometimes it's hard not to laugh at the angry, spitting kitten who's having a fit because she's not getting her own way, but we don't because this needs to get nipped in the bud. I can only imagine what we have to look forward to in her teenage years :)
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William and I are both doing much better after getting on some antibiotics for acute bronchitis. Holy cow we both felt awful - and I'm amazed at how quickly we felt better after getting on some medication. Modern medicine is an amazing thing when it works, I think without it we were both headed for pneumonia. And happily, no one else has come down with it.
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and finally, my kids have begun their last full week of school today! Evie and William are finished next Wednesday, but first Evie has to get through SOL testing. Now I have some thoughts on this - I get that it's very important for the school district that kids do well on these tests, for accountability and funding and all that. BUT - do we have to place SO MUCH emphasis on them to the kids?? I have had to explain over and over again to Evie that these tests do not change HER grades at all, but are a way for the state to measure how well the school is doing in teaching core subjects. She was really anxious last night, and worried over a certain math problem - never mind that the math SOL isn't until later in the week. I just question whether, at age 9, the kids themselves need to have so much pressure put on them to do well on this test....
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Winner Winner Chicken Dinner
We have a winner from our Austin contest, check it out:

A Winner in Austin!! from Rebecca Darling on Vimeo.



Comments

  1. OK, but I have to say she is adorable. With 3 boys, my Hubs has commented that with a daughter he may have a hard time saying no while looking at a face like that.

    About the testing...yeah. The state tests here in the spring are the goal at the end of the school year, unfortunately. It is as if grades don't mean anything anymore. Teachers are judged by their principal on the tests scores. Parents want to know a school's test scores, as if that means anything to a child doing well in a school environment.

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  2. I hate a lot of the standardized testing for funding schools use.

    I taught in a public high school in Florida for a year. During that year, I was required to teach my English students science vocab to get them ready for their test, and spend weeks preparing my students for the English test.

    So many teachers would spend a quarter or semester teaching to the test and not the material that the testing is supposed to reflect. I know not all teachers are like that, and certainly not like that everywhere, but it's what I saw. And it's what I experienced in my own high school in another state.

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  3. Yes, it's ridiculous how much emphasis is put on testing. some days I think all we are doing is teaching kids how to take tests, and not how to use their little brains for every day application. :)

    Sarah is adorable, but I would be planting my proverbial foot on her proverbial hiney if one of mine did that. You totally have to get that nipped in the bud. What is cute/funny at 5 is going to be absolute hell at 15.
    Good luck! :)

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  4. I agree, it's so hard not to laugh but you just can't. Viv is so right, what's cute now will be so very ugly in a few more years. I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing with you!

    Our state testing, FCAT, was last month and it is ridiculous! I understand that it needs to be done to show, or not show, proficiency with the students and to make sure the teachers are actually teaching but the stress the kids are under to perform is crazy, it's just too much too soon.

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  5. The testing thing drives me nuts. A kid can be brilliant and so good in school...but stick a test in front of em and they choke. I hate it! So much stress. :(
    And Sarah. LOL What. A. Booger.

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  6. Our daughters are twins. The arms crossing/pissy face is a regular look in our house!

    Glad you are feeling better!

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  7. Oh, that Sarah is seriously cute...her and her attitude!!

    I'm glad you and William are feeling better.

    Are you still fangirling from last night, because I am. I'm thinking this MMA high will last at least all week...if not all month. I wonder when they'll give us another trailer??

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  8. Oh my - she does know when a camera is pointing, doesn't she?

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  9. My third baby is exactly the same!

    We laugh because she is such a diva. I'm guessing that behaviour won't be as amusing in 10 years time.

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  10. How can you keep a straight face with that??? OH my -I'd be laughing all day at her!!!

    As for the testing, here in TX, the TAKS testing fear starts in kinder when the kids aren't even allowed recess when the older kids are taking their TAKS- so each kid grows up fearing this infamous TAKS and once they finally get them in 3rd, they see how easy it is....

    ~Becca

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  11. Love those pictures....

    I think it's criminal to stress kids out over these tests. I see it all of the time.

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