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The Last Laugh

I have to admit, after bitching and complaining about having to go to the theatre with Adam yesterday, I ended up LOVING Two Pianos, Four Hands.

Not only was the acting phenomenal, but the show was absolutely brilliant and hilarious, and the piano playing was stellar. Even Adam - who by the way hates classical music (who is the philistine I ask you?), loved it.

Who attends live shows on a Wednesday afternoon at 2pm? Mostly the white-haired walker set, some groups of school children, and a sprinking of tourists (along with unemployed students and tenured university professors such as ourselves).

I have always loved seeing live comedy. Adam and I have gone to Second City, Yuk Yuks, and seen stand up performances from Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Cosby, and Brent Butt.

I really needed a good laugh this week as it started out pretty rough. But indeed, it's shaping up. Big A and I are getting on much better lately and Adam and I both noticed she seems distinctively happier. Much less whining, crying and sulking. She also has committed to healthy eating, a decision she apparently made the day after Halloween when she had full access to her candy stash. She is perfectly happy to eat my healthier home-baked goodies, and all of a sudden, her and Little A are addicted to apples and red, yellow and orange bell peppers!

When I still hadn't gotten around to donating the girls' Halloween candy this week, Big A reminded me to do so. She has also started to demonstrate an amazingly giving spirit. She has always shown compassion and nurturing towards other kids (she is so protective of Little A, it's almost concerning Adam and I that she feels TOO MUCH responsibility), but lately she is quite preoccupied with giving away her money and possessions to others who have less. When the school asked for Unicef donations, she emptied her own piggybank, and she is constantly dropping the contents of her piggybank into Little A's piggybank, which is not as full.

Little A seems to be in another growth spurt as her human-vacuum cleaner eating habits are back. She ate 12 pieces of the maki we made for lunch one day last weekend and last night, after getting home from having dinner at my in-laws, she ate 3 bowls of cereal, 2 plates of French toast, half an apple and some yellow pepper strips. And she was STILL complaining she was hungry after that! We are getting used to her nightly meltdowns thanks to her refusal to nap, and are learning that when it happens, there is no point trying to distract, appease or negotiate with her, she simply needs to go to bed ASAP!

Definitely a bad start to the week, but today the sun is shining and I am feeling much more positive about the state of the world. I am grateful for my wonderful family and our priveleged life, for health and for laughter.

As I remind my clients all the time, it is important to not view the world in black and white terms. There is good, there is bad, and there is lots in between.

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