Superstar!

Kate had her School Christmas Program yesterday. It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen from her and I laugh just thinking about it! There are 20 children in Kate's class and they all filed in, basically wearing individualized versions of the same outfit just by chance. All the little girls wore red dresses with tights and Mary Jane shoes and all the little boys were in dark pants with button-downs and sweaters. Basically the tiniest Prep-fest in the land!

The children obviously had been practicing for this. All the parents, looking like a press corps with multiple lenses and video cameras (and yes, we are of course, guilty!) aimed at the kids, waited while the kiddos lined up in two rows. One row seated, one row standing on a small stage behind, holding on to the back of the chair in front of them.

It should be made known that the "stage" was actually a small rise where there is an altar. The show was held in the church basement where there is a more informal church service held.

Well, Kate decided she wanted to be on the stage after initially sitting on a chair. Then she decided to have the best of both worlds and sat herself on what she calls the "priest throne" which is a much more elaborate seat than the banquet chairs the other children were on. After the "throne" was removed from view so as not to distract her, instead of standing in line next to the other kids, Kate took one giant step sideways, so as not to be obscured or hindered by other children. She stood in her own space on the stage.

And the show began.

The "show" - consisting of 4 or 5 Christmas songs, complete with hand motions - was a riot. While all the other children looked ahead, singing - or not singing as was the case for some - and were very cute, obedient and proper, Kate REALLY went to town. She twirled. She jumped. She shook her hips and waved her arms. She sung and did all kinds of motions. And, after each song, while the other kids politely smiled and listened to the applause, Kate would smile proudly, slowly close her eyes, and very dramatically bow to the audience. And sometimes she curtsied. We were all just rolling in the aisles, I'll tell you.

At one point in the show, they were singing a song that involved jingling some strings with bells on them that the children had made. Kate earlier had decided she wanted nothing to do with her strand and had given it to me pre-performance. Well, she then felt the need to have it and, mid-song - started calling out in a directors voice "Stop! Stop!" and she ran around to the front of all the children and held up her hand and yelled "STOOOOP". She did not have her bells, you see! The show went on and I pulled Kate aside and gave her her bells and she finished the number with a big bow. SO SO FUNNY.

I have to upload the pics yet.

Following the show, Santa came and our outgoing superstar suddenly became a terrified clingy sweetie. She wanted NOTHING to do with him. But gladly settled down with a gingerbread cookie and some milk with all the families afterwards. It was such a fun time.

She certainly is independent. Some parents were looking at me like "control your kid". Um - she was singing the songs, she was doing the motions. The only difference was that she was standing a little farther away and she added some flair to it with some spin moves. Ok - a 5th grader totally acting out is one thing - but these are three year olds, people! It's not like she was at some national debate competition about the relevance of fossil fuels in the future and all of a sudden decided to break into a song and dance aside of the podium! Sheesh! The important thing is that all the kids have fun and are learning. YES she needs to learn to stand in line, but that will certainly come. And we talked about it. But I just cannot believe some of the disdainful looks. Oh well! I got just as many people telling me that she was a riot and adorable and they wished their kid would have even smiled. So everyone has room for improvement. Parents and kids alike. Whether it is working on feeling comfortable in front of a crowd or working on reigning it in a bit, every kid is making progress. The parents could learn a few things too. I have to learn not to let other's judgments bug me. And some people need to learn not to judge.

After all, it was not a competition, it was Jingle Bells and Rudolph for goodness sake!

Anyway, the main point was to tell the hilarity that was Kate. And we were SOOO proud of her! But I also try to write about what I am learning through all these wonderful experiences and the new feelings I encountered.For instance, I never knew I could want to pile drive a mom for suggesting my three year old was less than great in a preschool play!!!!! Mommyhood brings on all kinds of emotions!

Have you seen the movie "Parenthood" with Steve Martin? At the end there is a school play and the little boy TOTALLY ruins it and goes off on his own and chaos ensues. At first the parents are worried and embarrassed and trying to stop it and then they realize - hey, it is not brain surgery - and they start to laugh at it all, despite some of the other parents being all irritated.....and eventually almost the whole auditorium is cracking up. That is what I want to be like. Sure, Nick and I take discipline, manners, education etc very seriously. But we also want our kids to be creative, brave and fun. Most of all, we just want them to be themselves and shine where they want to shine. I hope we manage the balance!