Weeks and weeks of preparation led up to tonight's event. Two-a-day rehearsals for the kids, plus their regularly scheduled music time, resulted in some burn out, but overall, it went really well. We were up at the church almost an hour early. And to my surprise, we weren't the first ones there! A handful of families had managed to sneak in and already had their seats staked out in the front row! This should have been my first clue at how crazy the night would be. :)
After 45 minutes of running from class to class, checking on line-ups, props, settling wardrobe issues, re-fastening hairbows, and assisting with potty breaks, we were ready to begin.
Getting the 2s up on stage was not a huge deal. Although we rehearse with only half at a time, since there is a Tues/Thurs class and a Wed/Fri class, doubling a number like 10 is not a big adjustment. The sweet little ones sang their first song (Twinkle Twinkle Little Star) and waved their gold glitter stars like champs. Miss A waved away! I'm not sure if she sang at all-she was on the very end of the row-but she stayed on stage, and that's all I hoped for!
Now, getting the 3s to join them for the 2nd song is a whooooole 'nother story. Like the 2s, we only rehearse with some of them each day. But for the 3s there's anywhere from 10-13 in a class, AND there are FOUR classes!! Sooo, getting all of them up there in an orderly manner was just not happening. One of the 3s teachers finally decided we were as close as we were going to get to "ready", and yelled out the "One, Two, Three!" cue to begin. Some began, more chimed in after the first "Jingle Bells", and by the end, I promise we had three different songs going! Oh well, live and learn, right!
Oh, the only thing I did notice from A was that she dropped her jingle bells a few lines into the song, and tried in vain to reach them without moving from her spot on the first step. Luckily one of the teachers in the front row saw her and got the bells back to her pretty quickly. She jingled to her hearts content!
Now we're ready for the 4s. Oh man. Twice and many kids means twice as many parents. Twice as many ignoring the "reserved for teachers only" seat signs, and twice as many trying to move in on my territory-one little circle of a spot on the floor, front and center, so all the kids can look to me if they lose place or forget a hand-motion. I had my spot staked out, then decided to stand to check out our line-up at eye level. Make sure none of the kids were totally hidden behind the one in front of them, etc. I stand up for 4 seconds, and start to sit back down, but there's a mom in my spot! Practically sitting on my feet. You have to understand, there was a parent to my left, my right, my back, and anywhere in-between that they could possible squeeze. All armed with video cameras.
I politely tap the head of the mom on my feet and tell her I really need to sit right there...and squeeze back into my spot. Practically in the lap of the person behind me. And so we begin. The kids did great. Thank goodness. I couldn't help with hand motions....I couldn't lift my arms from my side! I was sandwiched in!
Anyway, we made it through then trekked back to the new buildings to show the parents our new rooms. It was a good night.
I'll have to post pictures later-I didn't have my camera so I borrowed the school's digital. I'll burn my pics and post some after the break.
Oh, one comment on Miss E. She saw several friends from her class last year. There are 3 or 4 boys that are at the preschool again, in the "bridge" class, who won't go to Kinder till next year. I left her to visit in their room while I ran around before we started. I would peek in every time I would pass by that room. And every time, I'd see her in the middle of the pack of boys, giggling! blushing! grinning from ear to ear! Hugging their necks! Oh yes, she was eating it up! AND, I learned from one the teachers the next day, that apparently she heard one of the boys ask our E on a date! "Where would they go???" she laughed!
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