Cate's First Show

If you ask Cate what she would like for Christmas, the answer is always the same. A microphone. Currently she uses paper towel rolls, part of Timmy's t-ball set or the remote as her microphone when she and Timmy have their evening dance party.

When she is supposed to be up in her room having rest time, I have to flicker the lights at the bottom of the stairs to remind her not to sing so loudly.

Lately, she has been singing all of the Christmas songs that she has learned at preschool as they have been preparing for their annual Holiday program. She knows the songs and finger plays word for word. Every hand motion, every extra shout for emphasis, but I knew long before I took my seat at the show that she would not sing one single syllable on stage.

She never uttered a word during practice and told me at home that she doesn't like to sing at school. My Dad asked Cate if she would like it if he came to her show. Her face lit up and she said she would. I asked her if she would sing if Pop took the morning off from work. "Oh...no. Probably not."

I can hardly blame her. I was the exact same way. I can remember standing at the entrance to my preschool classroom and just watching all of the kids play...for a long time...before I would join in. I know that she wants to sing, but she is just not comfortable enough yet.

So we still made a big deal of her first show (and the fact that she stayed on the stage and didn't bolt for me in the audience). Cate found a new, red purse hanging on the Christmas tree the morning of her show and was so excited to stuff it with tissues and bring it to school. She loved twirling around in her fancy dress and eating cupcakes with Timmy after the auditorium had cleared out.

The morning wore her out and when we got home, she wanted to change into her pajamas and she even let me tuck her into bed for a real rest in the afternoon. Of course that only lasted about fifteen minutes. Then I was back to flickering the lights to remind her not to sing quite so loudly.