Auditions

Last year E and L made up a "dance" for the school talent show and didn't pass the audition process. I don't blame the judges - it was a performance only a mother could love and I . . . did not love it. This year, they created a skit with some friends. It is mildly clever, I suppose, and they have organized and rehearsed it all during recess. I was at school today volunteering and I witnessed their last rehearsal before the official auditions. Unsurprisingly, L called them all together by clapping her hands and shouting, "Okay! Let's get started!" 

I've spent the last few weeks listening (patiently, mostly) to her go over every aspect of the skit and her nervousness regarding the auditions. Then I spent this afternoon listening to her process the auditions and her nerves/excitement at being in front of a crowd and having them laugh and now the wait to see if she makes it and how long it's going to be and how nervous/excited she still is. Honestly, I hope that she continues to process everything externally with me because it will keep me in the loop, but at the same time I want to tell her to SHUT IT.

She was going over everything again at dinner and suddenly turned to E, "E! What are we going to do NEXT year for the talent show?" I burst out laughing and she continued, "We have to get started earlier next time. We'll need to get everyone together in April so we have more time to write our skit and practice." She gave me a knowing look as I continued to giggle and added pointedly, "I'm planning ahead, Mom." If this were Twitter, I would add the hashtag MiniMe. Bless her heart; I love her.

At the same time, E said once - directly before the auditions - that she was nervous and gave me a worried but excited thumbs up when I wished her luck. She told me a bit about the skit beforehand and . . . that's it. I think this is one of the most fun parts of having multiple kids. Number one for me is watching them interact with each other and A, but number two is seeing how they're alike and different in ways that are out of my control.

Oh, so C had a moment of sadness this afternoon of "I don't know who to play with!" tears and as I was hugging her, L said, "You could have another baby so she has a friend!" I laughed and said, gently, "OH HELL NO," but she persisted, "I would be nine when she was born! I hope it's a girl. I'll help you take care of her. What should we name her? Another sister would be so much fun! We have all the clothes we need!" 

We wrapped up the last Harry Potter book yesterday and after I finished weeping (I have wept every single night for the past few weeks - so much emotion at the end!), E and L both were a little lost and asking, "Wait. What happened next?" It is so hard to finish a book where you love the characters, isn't it? It's like a relationship break up or maybe a death. You are both going your separate ways. L is determined to read them all over again - she pulled out The Sorcerer's Stone this afternoon - and work her way through Harry Potter wikipedia. E started reading that cat warriors series that is apparently all the rage and I pulled out the second Penderwicks novel tonight for our family reading. 

Comments

[el-e-e]

I'm impressed about HP. Were they sufficiently moved by the 7th book's symbolism/meaning? AJ's in the Goblet of Fire right now. It's good that he's had other series he's wanted to read, because I'm really trying to hold him off a bit until I know he'll GET IT, in the Deathly Hallows.

But so awesome that L started re-reading Sorcerer's Stone!

[Meggan]

The bit at the end of the 7th book where Harry says "stay close to me" makes me WEEP LIKE A BABY EVERY SINGLE TIME.

Your description of finishing a series is spot-on - there's definitely a bit of a grieving period afterward. (Now I feel like I need to re-read HP this summer.)