Sleigh-ing It
One happy December morning, my 3 year old bounced around the house singing the Christmas carols she would perform with preschool in a few hours. Her tiny voice filled the house with joy. I could almost hear the angels singing along. So sweet. So innocent. So merry.
After her favorite breakfast of oatmeal, it was time to get dressed and prettied up. There is no super-speed in a 3 year-old’s world, so we’d need to get started. Brushing the long locks of a preschooler who doesn’t stop dancing can be a challenge. I mean, first you have to catch her. Then, as the mommy, you’d like to prove that brushing hair doesn’t hurt, but there is the occasional tug as the head keeps bobbing. Adding festive barrettes that will catch the light and sparkle into the audience of parents and grandparents is the grand plan. We shopped in advance and had all we needed for a lovely holiday ensemble. The sketched plan isn’t always actionable. After the hopping and skipping resulted in several yanks, we ended up with a plain barrette she could put on herself. Yes, it’s on. The hair isn’t all in it, but it’s on. All done. Now, the dress. This Little is the third girl, so she had several beautiful holiday dresses to choose from. I had some nice thick tights to keep her legs warm, and with a bunch of patience we wriggled them on, the seam just about lined up with her toes. She whirled to her closet and chose the soft blue dress. Yes, we had started early, but now it’s time to leave for the concert. On goes the soft blue dress, but it’s too short. Way too short. Ok, let’s pick another dress. Strong-minded Little insisted that this one was perfect. I mustered my mommy magic and tried to entice her to choose the red one or the green one, both of which offered 4 more inches of hemline. Nope. Now insistent and no longer happy dancing. Well, she had thick tights, so it wouldn’t be too glaringly obvious. Each parent watches her own kid anyway. And, she’d be surrounded by the other preschool classes and the kindergarten class. Who would notice? She’s 10th percentile in height, so she’s tiny. She’ll blend. Totally not worth any frustration. We would all really just like to keep the festive mood. I choose holiday cheer, not tears. Ok, we’re dressed (in our short dress and messy barrette) and good to go.
Super cute! The Littles all have elf hats. Turns out there was no need to worry about the sparkly barrettes or the messy hair.
Since there were so many classes performing together, this holiday concert was on the raised stage in the gym. Good for us parents to see all the singers! Many of these Littles lived in our neighborhood, so I appreciated having a good view of everyone. The sea of children with red and green hats began with Christmas poetry. After the first, the audience applauded, and my Little’s face brightened. As she realized the clapping was a recognition, an enormous smile spread slowly over her face and expanded into the room. Next poem began and my Little was really feeling it. She began to move with the flow of words. As the words got louder, her movements got bigger. Most of the hundred kids stood still and were guided in choreographed hand movements by the wise and patient 8th grade helpers. As mine danced, she was pinballing off her classmates, so she moved forward in order to have more room to dance, spin and leap. She ended up front and center. Good for all us parents to see the singers! Yes, my Little in the short dress was only inconspicuous for about a minute. Good news: you could only see her patterned underpants through her thick tights when her hands were raised directly overhead in her improvised dance.
Soon, the elf hat was off her head and on her arm to use as a puppet. By the finale of the 10 minute program, she had the untied dress bow ribbons in her hands as a dance prop, her elf hat was back on her head but stretched out so it covered her face, and she was dancing so vigorously she had to stop singing.
This unique personality of my rogue performer shines just as brightly many years later. She still sings and dances, still performs, but she’s added more tools to her artistic toolbox. This Little is now a teen who imbues all aspects of her life with innovation and character. She shouts a big Yes to her creative impulses. I love this artist and the fact that she doesn’t fit neatly in a box. But, then again, who really does fit inside those boxes? Aren’t we all just a little squished?
Wishing you an expansive life of springboarding off your box and, of course, music and rogue dancing.
May the Love of your Little enhance your joy this holiday season.
(In the pic, the Little in the soft blue dress is off the floor in one of her big jumps.)
