Friday, December 14, 2007

Christmas Concert Nightmare

Well - Delta had his violin concert!

First, let me start that the night before, I hadn't slept well at all (coughing) - and I was helping Bravo (another older sister) move that day too.

So, by the time I'd done all that - I got home just in time to change and take my husband to work with the kids in the van. (He had gotten them all ready) He just made it to work - and we were on time for the concert, but not as early as we should have been. Charlie was going to watch Echo at the concert during the period that I was on-stage with Delta - which was right near the beginning. I think the cellos played first. So we just got setup in time for me to take Delta down, and wait.

So - Delta did great! There was a lot of people there (I'm guessing around 300 or so) - and he did everything he was supposed to! YEAY!

Well, we get back up to the level where we were sitting - and Charlie is out in the bathroom with Echo because Echo is just screaming! Charlie hands her over (Charlie was upset) and she left to have a break. (I found out later that someone was rude to Charlie AFTER she had left with Echo because Echo was crying.

So after trying to get Echo calmed down (which she wasn't - and she pointed near her ears when I asked if she was hurt.... hm.....) - I decided to take the kids back in hoping that me holding her combined with the music would comfort her.... and I could put the violin etc back in the case - and if it wasn't working, I could pack them up and go. I knew that people wouldn't want to hear her crying. So, it helped a bit but she was still crying, so I started getting her into her snowsuit.... and well, it just goes bad from there.

Some lady comes and is being just rude. She wasn't trying to be rude but she was. She was that I needed to get my baby out of there (um - duh - I'm putting her snowsuit on) - and then she expected me to just pick up the violin, clothing for 4 (winter coats, hats, boots, etc) and drag 2 children, neither of which want to leave - all by myself! She did offer to help - but what I wanted for help is to get the kids into the outfits - not to just cart the stuff out in a heap! Anyway, it was really getting blurry in my head because I was just so upset, dissapointed and tired!

One of the mom's from Delta's group came and helped - I think she got him in his boats and coats, while I continued putting Echo into stuff - and then we carried my and Charlie's stuff out and violin etc - about then Charlie got back - and this rude woman was still saying stuff - and when I got out the door of the concert hall - I just went BOOM! I was crying and yelling that I was doing the best I could, that I was taking her out. The rude woman was there and was patting my cheak - and I yelled at her "Don't touch me". I think someone got her out of there. Delta's group teacher was there, and someone I don't know. The person I didn't know asked if she could hold Echo while I got my coat on - and Delta's teacher got me some kleenix, and talked to Deltaa while (who was busy telling me that it was all right....) - and I got calmed down. I asked the person I don't know who it was that kicked me out - she said it was someone's grandma.... (after saying that I wasn't being kicked out - um - yeah, I was.....)

So anyway, between that scene and me crying at the one group lesson, the other moms must think I'm the most emotional person in the world!!!

And once again - we didn't get to hear the other kids play the violins.

I am still pleased with how well Delta did performing in front of 300ish people.... and so I'm glad we went. And Echo seems ok today again. She cried until about 15 - 20 min into the car ride, when she fell asleep. She does have a cold - but once home, she seemed ok, just tired.... and today she is running around with her sniffy nose....

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Day and Night

Well, the difference is like day and night!!!

Last week, at Miss A's lesson, Delta did everything he was supposed to do, with confidence and skill - and so he earned his violin!!!! He was so pleased and happy (although at first he was confused because she said he gets his new instrument..... so then he was thinking he was getting a piano or a cello..... - we got that straightened out though!)

Since then, Delta has practiced well pretty much every day. He still sometimes isn't pleased to, until the violin is out, and then he is thrilled. I've been keeping practices really short - basically just holding the violin, and practicing "Up like a rocketship" (and so the bow hold) for the concert. I have sometimes added in the singing of "A" (his favourite practice activity) and naming the violin parts. He can easily hold his violin for all of "Twinkle Twinkle", although the first couple of times he was extra nervous. He was scared it would drop and fall. So far he hasn't dropped it. After the main part of his practice, he gets to "pluck" the violin. Miss A said he isn't allowed to put the bow to the violin yet - but that he can pluck it. He really likes to pluck the strings while I finger "Twinkle" - because it is actually playing it.

I figured a lot of the trouble was that he wanted the real violin and was tired of the box one.... but there wasn't much else I could do about it. One of the other moms at the group class commented this week about how much more focused Delta was - that he was totally doing what he was supposed to be and not getting distracted by everything.

Tomorrow is the concert - should be interesting. I hope he likes seeing the other kids play, as he really hasn't had the opportunity yet.

Miss A gave us a paper with a Snakes and Ladders game on it for christmas. Each square has something different that he can practice. We will see how he likes it.