My arch nemesis:

The giant red velvet cupcake. Or, in this case, the hot pink velvet cupcake. This particular one has blue vanilla frosting. I had two others in the box with cream cheese frosting. My lovely husband brought these home from church, as a gift from one of the high schoolers who apparently owns a bakery. WOW. What a nice surprise. I kind of feel like I'm cheating on Sugar Rush. I'm not, I promise. These things were calling to me from the fridge, they're gone now... good thing. Here were are on thursday night, and I'm still thinking about them. Anyway, here were some other happy recipients:

Does she look like Cindy Lou Who?

ooh can you see our St. Patty's stuff in the window? We're all about window decorating!

I know the title of this post is Arch Nemesis.... the following does not fall under that title. This part should be called "the last ballet class" or more appropriately "the greatest stress of Capri's life" or "if looks could kill".

Capri has loved this new ballet class. Even the teacher, who I really struggled with. Yesterday was the last class of the session, and much to Capri's dismay the teacher mixed it up and they did some "new" stuff. They danced new dances to new songs, holding bears (!), and the class was frequently put on hold for parents to take pictures.... because it's strictly forbidden to take pictures any other time. No, I did not obey this rule. I often have problems with rules. Yes, I'm working on it so that my kids don't pick up this habit. Well, let's be honest some rules are silly.

Anyway. Mixing things up really messed with Capri. She tried so hard to "work-in" and go with the flow. But, by the end the stress proved too much.
Here is the beginning, trying to go with the flow:

Here is one of the "pauses" in the class, where it began to spiral downward.

And, this is where it began to get really bad. I couldn't capture the really bad ones because I was either video-ing (for proof) or trying to get her to stop. She gave me the nastiest looks, kept telling me to "shush" (with the shushing finger in place), and also tried to rip her ballet leotard on several occasions. It was just more than she could take. When I asked her what went wrong, she said she was scared. Poor girl. Wish I could say I was immediately understanding and helped her work through it. I didn't. First I was understanding, then I was annoyed, then I was hurt that she was being so nasty, then I yelled at her for being mean to me, then I apologized and tried to understand what happened. Again, wish I could've skipped all those middle steps and just remembered how sensitive and deep Capri is. She won't remember that when she's 20 right? Hope not.

A new session starts in two weeks, and this time there is a recital. I am really wavering back and forth as to whether or not we should put her in. There are two other ballet options that don't include a recital... and I think that might be a better option. I don't know! Maybe Ice skating is the answer!