I made every attempt to dominate conversation with Jayk, Addi & Ella on Friday, April 29th to direct it to hype up the wedding with them. The girls took the bait and were getting more and more geeked about it as the day rolled on.
The kids and I got jammied up and snuggled in with some fresh popcorn and a warm blanket on Mommy & Daddy's bed (Tony had a softball game, not that he would be at all interested in anything relating to the Royal Wedding). Following in his father's disinterest of The Royals, Jayk was more intrigued by Angry Birds than ball gowns and tiaras. However, when the grand event began, his sweet expression changed and he watched with curious expectation as to what would unfold.
The girls giggled with delight at the first appearance of Kate Middleton. In my British knowledge, I explained to them that she was a commoner at the moment but was soon to become Royalty and Kate Middleton would become PRINCESS CATHERINE (yes, that was said with a British accent as if reading a Royal proclamation...a la Cinderella). I am pretty sure it was Addi who actually squealed when Kate got out of the car. She does have a flair for the dramatic (wonder where that comes from???).
Thank goodness for DVR because I was able to fast forward through loooooooooooong parts! All three kids were mesmerized by the wedding, the carriage ride, and then the kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace (Jayk didn't even seem to mind the quick kiss). The whole event itself was memorable but it was the memory-making with the kids that was most special.
Throughout the evening, Ella matter-of-factly announced that "I want to be Princess Catherine when I grow up!" I have no doubt in my mind that, of any of my children, she is determined enough to find a Prince to marry. Addi peppered me with questions about British Aristocracy that either I felt proud I was knowledgeable enough to answer or I made up answers that would suffice the curiosity of a six-year old. But it was Jayk's single question as the whole event unfolded that, I hope, will stay with me forever.
With furrowed brow that only accompanies intense pondering, my happy-go-lucky little man leaned over to me and quietly said,
"Mom...I didn't know Prince and Princesses were real."
"OH YES!!!!"
came my surprised reply followed by my long explanation of Prince Harry, Prince William, Princess Catherine, Prince Charles, Princess Di, Prince Blah, Blah, Blah. As I attempted to go down the Royal lineage, his brow furrowed even more and the wheels in his eight-year old brain cranked even harder attempting to make sense of whatever ideas it was he had jumping around in his head.
Jayk paused for a moment and snuggled in closer to me and pensively asked,
"Well if Prince and Princesses ARE real... then are dragons real?"
