When Leaping Pays Off

I was terrified about the ballet performance, I'll admit. We got a dvd of last year's performance and ran through scenes with Logan in the living room. I watched and worried during rehearsals when, instead of paying attention, he was looking out the window, or peeling tape off the dance floor.

I was nervous for my girls and their respective roles, but not worried. I wasn't sure how any of them would react to being on a huge stage, with the lights and the people, but I just wasn't WORRIED about the girls. I was about Logan, though. Not to mention the fact that with all his sensory issues, his role required a full face of stage makeup and a ton of goop in his hair. Were we just asking for a giant meltdown?

Theater week came. First Lindsay had her spacing rehearsal, and she loved the stage and did fine. The next night was Logan's. He wasn't phased at all, and said the stage was great, although I still held my breath. Spacing rehearsals didn't have on the full lights, or makeup, or costumes. Hannah's followed, and she did fine as well. Not one of them was scared of the stage, so we were on the right path.

The fourth night that week was dress rehearsal. Logan flinched and made faces while they got him gooped and made up, but he didn't complain, and liked how he looked when they were done. We watched the girls do their roles (just fine, of course) and then it was time for Logan's first scene. I stood backstage and held my breath as I watched.

Let me tell you, I stood back there choked up as I watched my boy do a GREAT job. He danced his part better than he ever had. He was THERE, and in the moment, and I watched in awe as he was even doing some nuances and subtleties that they had discussed in rehearsal but he had never done before. Other parents back stage were giving me thumbs up, and telling me how awesome he was doing, but I just nodded back. I didn't want to say anything because I was afraid I would cry right then and there.

The show went just as well, and afterwards all the kids were already talking about next year's show, with Logan declaring that he wants to do the same role again. So, just like that, it seems I am now a stage mom. And I couldn't be happier about it.