A rock star is born

I've felt so much guilt over the years for my many shortcomings with regard to my role as mother. I worry and feel guilt for everything from being a working mom to being too hard on my kid. But despite my failings — or maybe because I'm so open with her about my deficits — my daughter is a super neat kid. So super neat, I'm overwhelmed by it on so many occasions.

Friday night was another night where I was so proud and happy and on the verge of sobbing because my kid is a person that I'm happy to know. Plus she's certifiably cool.

Here is Margaret, playing guitar and singing with her band, Possum Pants:

She's 11 and in a band. A band that she fronts and even named (don't ask where Possum Pants came from — it's just something born of her creative brain). And she's fearless on stage.

Here she and her bass player are before they played, standing at the back of the stage laughing and chatting:

As she was getting ready to play, I was a nervous wreck. Mar was cool as a cucumber.

Possum Pants played three songs. All of which Mar sang and played guitar on. This is the first time she's played live with her awesome bass player. The two girls (along with their instructor Warren Jones on drums) didn't miss a beat and never messed up.

Mar still has things to learn. She's still developing her head voice, but she rocks my socks off with her chest voice all full of attitude and swagger. She doesn't make a lot of eye contact with the crowd or move around much. But considering she's only been playing guitar and singing for less than a year, she's a total rock star.

Look at her face:

That's a kid who is happy with herself, happy on stage, happy to be singing and playing for a crowd full of people.

As for me, I was happy, too. Happy to see her do something she loves, happy she can overcome her stomach issues to do whatever she wants and happy I didn't start bawling. Seeing her succeed at things hits me in that spot of my heart that starts the water works. I have to remember to breath and bring tissues. Being the mom of a rock star is tough ... and awesome.