Third Time's The Charm?

Today was Little Miss's holiday program. Nope, not a Christmas program - in fact, not one song sung mentioned Christmas or Santa or anything along those lines, although one song was a Hanukkah song, which made me giggle. The notes home from the teachers request that we send out children in their Sunday best - though with no need to buy new clothes - and the assurance that they would not play outside and thus risk harm to their spotless outfits.

Last year was a challenge. In Chicago, it had snowed a lot and the children had to wear snowpants and boots just to get to school. I had dress Little Miss in a Christmas dress and carefully styled her hair.

As I watched the other grades come on stage and perform, I patiently waited for Little Miss to appear. So many of the children had beautiful outfits and gorgeously dressed hair. I was jealous of the sparse hair Little Miss still had in kindergarten, but at least she'd look good with what she had. As her class trooped onto the stage, I heard my mother gasp next to me.

WHY is she wearing those shoes? my mother demanded in an angry whisper. I could only shake my head and shrug. Oops? I think I had told her to pack her change of shoes in her backpack but hadn't been clear on which shoes those should be. She was still cute.

This year, things were to be different. I offered Little Miss a choice of two different dresses she could wear, and she chose a cute red one with Christmas trees and such on it. I had her go back upstairs and find a headband to make her hair look cute, then brushed it for her again. I went so far as to send her hairbrush with her to school so she could brush it again before the performance - like my hair, hers tends to look like it's never seen a brush five minutes after brushing. Though it hasn't truly snowed in Chicago yet, it did pour rain yesterday, so I sent Little Miss to school in her "show boots" and ensured that her party shoes were in her backpack. I reminded her to change into them once she got to school. I swear I did.

Unfortunately, I think my mom repeated herself word for word. Well, almost word for word. I'm pretty sure she switched out "boots" for "shoes" since well, she is wearing boots this year.

On the plus side, she wasn't the only one wearing boots, I noticed. And there was a part in the song where she had to do a rolling motion that I think explains a nightmare she woke up with a few weeks ago.

There's always next year, right?

My Time Is A Priority

Last week at church, they announced at the end that they will be doing a Christmas pageant on Christmas Eve and that all children of all ages are invited to participate. I turned to the wee ones:

Me: Mister Man, do you want to be in the Christmas play?
Mister Man: No.
Me: Ok. Little Miss, do you want --
Little Miss: YES!
Me: Mister Man, are you sure you don't want to be in the play?
Mister Man: I'm sure.
Me: It will be fun. You'll get to wear a costume and be on stage and show everyone what you can do. Doesn't that sound like fun?
Mister Man: Yes.
Me: So you'll do it then?
Mister Man: No, I don't want to.
Me: Can you explain to me why you don't want to?
Mister Man: Yes. I'm tired of church. I don't want to be here all night and all day. I'm going to want to go home before then.
Me: Umm, kiddo. All you have to do is come to church a half hour early on Christmas Eve. That's it.
Mister Man: Oh. Ok then. I want to do it! Who do I get to be?

And later, after social hour, when we were leaving:

Little Miss: Wahhhhhhhhhh! (laying on the ground crying tantrum)
Me: Little Miss, can you explain why you're crying?
Little Miss: I (sniff) don't (sniff) want (sniff) to (sniff) go (sniff) home (sniff) yet!
Me: Sweetie, why not? Aren't you hungry for lunch?
Little Miss: Yes, but I didn't get to do my play yet!
Me: Oh, Little Miss, that's not until Christmas Eve. We aren't doing it today.
Little Miss: Really? Ok, let's go then.

They're now both on the same page, and they're both excited. They keep talking about how Mister Man is going to be a shepherd and Little Miss a sheep and how he's going to take care of her. Or vice versa. I keep explaining that they aren't going to get to choose who they'll be in the play, but it isn't really sinking ing. Gotta love the wee ones and their thought processes!



PS Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers and positive wishes. I really appreciate it. We're now back from the hospital and discharged. Fever is gone, and lungs are clear. We're all exhausted, but we're on the road to recovery. Fingers crossed tonight is an easy night with just a couple nebulizer treatments and that tomorrow is a just a quick check in with the doctor!