Take A Bow

A few weeks ago, I experienced one of the most fulfilling moments of mommyhood thus far. I watched my little boy, decked out in his Christmas sweater and pressed khakis, perform in his first ever Christmas pageant.

I had been pressing Tyson for details on the performance for weeks. He revealed two songs they would sing-“Go Tell it on the Mountain” (complete with lots of yelling-to the point where I had no idea what he was saying- and sign language) and “Twinkle Twinkle Christmas Star” (tamer song, more sign language) prior to the show. He also advised me that he had to “be quiet and keep his hands together” when he was on stage.

Add the above to the fact that Mila’s naptime happened to conveniently coincide with the start time of the play and one could say that my expectations were marginal at best.

The day of the performance we were busy trying to get our Christmas presents wrapped and bags packed for Florida. It snowed. And Daddy slid off the road. And we were frantically ten minutes late to the show. And Mila was crabby and hot and tired. And I was crabby and hot and tired…..  

UNTIL Tyson marched out holding onto Miss Mary Lou’s hand. Shy smile plastered across his face when he saw us. And what happened then? Well, in Whoville they say-that my heart grew three sizes that day.

Placed front and center, my little boy (literally and figuratively-he was the shortest one there) sang every single song like his life depended on it. He told us the story of baby Jesus and his manger.  He sang, “Happy Birthday” to Jesus in Spanish (!SPANISH!). He sang about being a little angel and a Christmas star.  He stamped, clapped and yelled along with all the other little three and four year olds. Some days I can’t manage to coordinate bath time with my two kids-Tyson’s teachers managed to put on an amazing show with fifty three and four year olds as the actors. That, in and of itself, is a Christmas miracle.  

And at the end, Tyson bowed. Front and center, smallest kid in the school and the ONLY one that bowed. Dude knew he did good. I mean he kept his hands together and was quiet, right?