Fly Girl

I'm so not. I have never been good at doing anything on the fly. I am not good with change, not flexible with schedule, never one to roll with the punches, not willing to compromise details, and never been able to fly by the seat of my pants. I'm not all that great at improvising and never one to fake anything. Is it any wonder my son is the same way?

My daughter (who tends to be on the other end of the spectrum) asked for something new and exciting for breakfast today. Saturday is always pancake morning in our household, with the exception of swim meet mornings or 5K races, but today she wanted something different. It was a leisurely morning. Marc was gone up north to ride a bazillion miles with some guys. The kids and I had nowhere to be for hours. Why wouldn't it be pancake morning? I hardly can blame her for desiring something different, however. Sometimes I feel if I have one more groundhog day, I may have to take drastic measures- I digress. I decided to surprise the kiddos with strawberry crepes.

I took a traditional recipe and made it very nontraditional by altering and omitting some ingredients for healthier fare. The crepes turned out beautifully and they were actually really delicious (I had a bite, never big on anything pastry-like). My boy, on the other hand, would have nothing to do with this idea. This was an offensive departure from the norm. No crepe would pass his lips on sheer principle alone. The NERVE of someone suggesting something other than the typical menu.

"I would like my pancakes now, please." He informed me, smelling the crepe before him.

"Just try them, buddy...it's like a pancake with whipped cream and strawberries," his sister pleaded, referring to the filling of whipped organic Tofutti with berries.

Not a chance. Not happening. I looked at him from below the rim of my coffee cup, waiting for the response.

"I would like my pancakes now, please, Mommy," ignoring big sister's encouragement.

He was very polite, but matter-of-fact and ever resilient in the pursuit of what he wanted. It immediately brought me back to when he was two years old and we (I) took away the beloved pacifier at the pediatrician's urging. For a child who never wants for much of anything, rarely complains, and is agreeable in SO many ways, he is a child who knows EXACTLY what he wants and there is rarely flexibility in those minor cases. It near killed me to take away that pacifier, particularly when, through tears, he remained ever polite in his plea, squeaky little voice shaking, "I would like my Nonnie now please, Mommy." His little rosebud lips quivering, my heart breaking.

I didn't cave with the pacifier back then, but I did with the pancakes today. I think because I get him- I get it- so well. Most of the time, he and I are pretty low maintenance. We like what we like and we try to be mellow and fly under the radar. We typically don't want to draw any kind of attention to ourselves(though this week someone told me my "character is larger than life")and we aim to please. We want to be agreeable, we really do, but some things are worth fighting for.

Some things cannot be compromised. For him, I guess it's pancakes with maple syrup on top. For me, it's the Pacific with mountains on top. Is that really so difficult to understand and accommodate? What is going to pacify me? Nothing here, I fear, on principle alone.