Go Texan Day Resolutions Met!

Those of you not from Texas (more specifically, Houston) probably have no idea what a “Go Texan Day” is. Basically, the Friday before the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (and related opening day parade) begins, Houstonians are encouraged to "Go Texan" by donning western gear. For many Houstonians, this simply translates to "jeans day" or maybe "jeans and cute boots" day.

The Pop Culture Girls' school asks that parents make stick horses (instructions provided for those who need it) and that the kids dress up in western gear. They also celebrate Go Texan Day a full week before the actual day, for reasons that have never actually been explained to the parents. Last Friday was the girls' Week-Before-the-Real-Thing Go Texan Day.

Last year, in preparation for WBTRT GTD, I sat on the floor of my living room for several hours hand-sewing stick horses. The horses were cute, no doubt, but my already bad back was killing me from hunching over for so long (my chiropractor was not happy about that), and my hands were cramped. I kept saying over and over that if I knew how to use a sewing machine, that process would have gone a lot faster.

I've always known how to sew by hand (to some extent, anyway), but have always sucked at using a sewing machine. I always outsourced my sewing to my mom, who is pretty fabulous with a machine. She spent several years trying to teach me, but I usually just ended up breaking a needle or the machine or something. Funny, I could cross-stitch, latch hook, and hand-sew, but using a sewing machine? Forget it.

So last year, fresh off my pain of all-day sewing to make two stick horses, I vowed I would learn to sew before Go Texan Day 2014.

I told Pop Culture Dad that all I wanted for Mothers Day, my birthday (in June), and Christmas was a Hello Kitty sewing machine and sewing lessons. He complied. I had sewing lessons every Saturday in June (including one on my actual birthday). I kept going with and and kept practicing. I've definitely been getting better at it, and (so far) I haven't broken my machine!

This year, in addition to the stick horses, I decided to tackle making western outfits for the girls. I was pretty successful with them, too, don'tcha think?


(For clarification: I did not make the shirts under the vest)

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How Complete Strangers Reacted When My Toddler Acted out in Public (You Might be Surprised!)

This afternoon, Super Girl had an epic tantrum in the checkout line at the craft store. I got to the register and let the checkout girl know I had to put something back while she was ringing up. I then returned every craft SG had picked out. While she kept screaming over and over, "I want it!" with tears running down her face, I explained to her (over and over, it seemed) that the deal was she would get treats if she was good in the store. Throwing a temper tantrum is exactly one of the behaviors I told my girls would forfeit their goodies. 


Just when I was starting to feel like a failure, standing there at the cash register with this two-year old screaming at the top of the lungs, three women came up to me and told me "Good job!" for sticking to my guns and not rewarding bad behavior. Instantly, I felt better. 


It's easy to feel like a meanie or a bad mom when your kid melts down in public. The things is, though, eventually every kid will melt down [first person to tell me her kid has never melted down gets punched in the face]. And, though I might feel mean in the minute, rewarding my (then-)behaved child with crafts while the other looks on on jealousy, I just have to keep reminding myself that my "meanness" is toward a greater good—raising a child/tween/teen/adult who is not an ungrateful, spoiled asshole. 


I am so thankful for those ladies today who gave me reinforcement and reminded me that I was doing the right thing. And it also served as a good reminder to me that the next time I see a mom struggling but doing the right thing, to pay it forward by patting her on the back—whether I do that literally (as the first "Good job, Mom!" woman did to me today) or verbally. Because sometimes all you need is validation. 


Gee... Who woulda thought that this kid would act out? /s/

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