Maria has a favorite little girlfriend at school named Janira.  She had been begging all weekend to have a play date with her on Sunday but time slipped away from us so I decided to surprise her and pick her and Janira up from Kids Club on Monday afternoon. 

Poor Mario.  He went with me to pick the girls up and he asked while we opened the doors to the school “Why can’t I have a play date with Blakey?” Blake used to live three houses down from us at our old house and Mario loved him because he was always outside playing sports.  But Blake is 7 years old and is interested in boys his age much more than he is interested in a four-year old.  I explain to him that Blake may be busy with boys his age, and he just looks at me like I am speaking a foreign language (who wouldn’t want to play with me, mom?!).  I ask him if he wants to invite over boys from his preschool, like Ben or Grant.  His response is “Ben smells funny and Grant is too small.”  The most picky four-year old (or any year-old for that matter) I have met.  However, he quickly replaced his frown with a smile as soon as I told him he could play on my computer a while since Maria wanted alone time with Janira. 

Janira’s mom is a make-up consultant.  She always looks impeccable.  Janira shares her mom’s love for make-up and fashion.  And Maria loves that about her.  Maria is enamored with Janira’s mom’s fashion sense – her tight jeans, her high heels, her jewelry (she begged me to wear high heels when I came to her school to read a book last week). When Janira and Maria get together, it is all beauty, all the time.  They are either playing barbies or painting nails or applying way too heavy of make-up.  One of their favorite activities when they are at our house is to do my make-up and paint my nails and dress me.  Janira’s mom would never let them touch her so I am the fall-back.  Maria knows I will do it if she just begs for 2.5 seconds.  When she gets older, she better remember this torture I went through for her.  Ok, so maybe it’s not that bad but I can think of a few other activities I would enjoy a bit better…. 

The girls came to get me for my appointment, and I headed upstairs with them to the Janira and Maria Beauty Store.  They described to me the different lotions they make themselves out of peppermint and vanilla and strawberry.  They detail the color of the lipstick they will apply and the numerous shades of eyeshadow that match my eyes.  Maria informs me that “Mary Kay” loves their products.  They are simply pros.  Even Katy Perry can’t stay away.  They put on three applications of lipstick, four shades of eyeshadow, blush, concealor, lotions, perfume.  They love spraying hair spray all over my hair using at least half of a bottle on my mane.  But I abide with the hope that I am nurturing their creative spirits (and Janira hooks me up with really good make-up when I get old and she owns her make-up studio (Maria will visit her when she is on the road between corporate engagements).  ALl in all, I must love Ri completely to let her do this to me: