A Little Valentine Moulage?

[Ed. Note: Not the photo or story one might expect around Valentine’s Day but rarely does anything happen “as expected” around here anyway. And this actually happened Monday so not technically ON Valentine’s Day but, well, you get the idea…]

Monday night hubby got the little ones to bed and we were set to watch the Westminster Dog Show that we had DVR’d. Not long into the hound group, Henry was up and out of bed heading downstairs. (This is why we DVR any program we actually want to watch!)

“I can’t get to sleep!”

“Henry, you haven’t even had a chance to fall asleep!”

“Please. I can’t sleep. I had a bad dream.” (Interesting because, again, he wasn’t asleep to even dream at all!).

“Okay, dude, you’re going back to bed. I will come up and tuck you in.”

I looked over at my husband with the remote in his hand already hitting the pause button with a sigh. Up the steps I went.

We got to the bedroom and I was getting Henry settled in. Again. I asked him what was bothering him.

“I keep thinking about Molly and *L’s* arms. My brain keeps seeing it and I can’t get it out of my mind.”

Flashback to earlier that Monday afternoon:

I’m downstairs at my computer trying to work. The little ones are upstairs in my bedroom watching something on TV. Big Sis, Molly, and her friend L came running into the house all giggly and silly (you know, typical 14-year old girl stuff…well, typical for these two anyway). I hear Henry and Lucy shrieks and then some chaos ensued and all 4 kids came running down the stairs shouting and laughing.

To show me this:

Apparently L was practicing special effects make-up  on both her own arm and Molly’s. That girl has SKILLS! Even up-close and personal it was pretty realistic! Well, as realistic as some kind of Zombie-type flesh wound can be. The two little ones had been repeatedly reassured that it was not real and they were laughing, although Henry wouldn’t touch it. I admit, I was hesitant myself!

So, back to later that evening and getting Henry back into bed. Still talking about the girls’ arms.

“You know that it wasn’t real, Henry.”

“Oh yeah, I know but still, I’m 6 years old. I’m a 6-year-old boy, Mom.”

“Yes, I know, but what does that have to do with why you can’t get to sleep?” (I really should know better than to ask at this point.)

“Because, Mom, all 6-year old boys have bad dreams. It’s what we all do. And I’m going to have a bad dream about L’s and Molly’s arms.”

“ALL 6-year old boys have bad dreams? All of the time?”

“Yeah, ALL of the time!” he says with an exasperated eye-roll.

“Henry, you will not have a bad dream. Think about good thoughts. Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. Think about what little goodies you might get!”

“Aggghhhh!  Mom. I’m a 6-year old boy. All 6-year old boys have bad dreams. It’s what we do. Aaaannnnnddd, I can’t get their arms out of my mind! It’s stuck in my brain! SOOOOOO, I’m going to have a bad dream.”

He’s ticking these facts off with his fingers to really make his point.

“Even though you know it wasn’t real?” I ask.

“Yes, Mom. Even though I know it wasn’t real.” he says matter-of-factly.

Okay, changing tack here. It’s getting late, I really want to be finished watching the dog show before 11pm, and I’m tired.

“Here’s the deal, Hen, it’s late. You have school tomorrow. You’re tired, Mommy is tired. You are just going to have to unstick that picture from your brain and go to sleep. You are NOT going to have a bad dream because you know it’s not real. Got it?” I realize at this point I must sound very insensitive but hey, I’m tired, I’m getting desperate. And I know sometimes it actually works…

“But mom…” He sees my eyebrows raised. “Okay, I’ll try. Happy thoughts.”

“Great! Good job! I love you, little dude!”

“I love you too mom.”

He went to sleep, I got to watch the dog show. No moulage nightmares.

Yesterday, Valentine’s Day, the kids were still talking about it and how cool and real it looked! When Molly got home from school they were asking to see it again! Molly had to show them that it had all been washed off. Oy!

It was really cool. Next time I just ask that the girls give me a heads-up what their coming in looking like! And I’m thinking I want to hire L to do some cool make-up for me next Halloween…or Valentine’s Day.