Good News! Also, Bad News.

For most of Monday and Tuesday, I was fretting about J. After being sick all Sunday, she was recovering, but Tuesday was a big kindergarten celebration as well as her dance recital at The Egg, and I wasn’t sure how she’d cope.

Honestly, she struggled a bit with dance this year. She was  young for her group, and learning two choreographed dances was tough for her. We even almost quit at one point, because she was over-scheduled, anyway, and she wasn’t having fun. She rallied, though, in part because she was excited about the show.  Sunday was the dress rehearsal, and she was too sick to attend.

We ended up going early to the recital, and her teacher helped her to get oriented on the stage. When she skipped out to practice the first dance she began by facing the back of the stage and I was like, uh-oh, this does not bode well. But she didn’t seem nervous at all, she was happy to be wearing her costume and some make-up, and having a little one-on-one time with the teacher made her happier still.

And for the performance,  she did great. Honestly, she danced both dances better than she’s ever done in class. So, yay!

Meanwhile, M and Cute W had been looking or something to eat and met us right before the show began. M thought that the theater was cold. The theater wasn’t cold. Cute W reported that M didn’t want any food because she felt “a little car sick.”

“Oh, no. You’re getting sick,” I said to her.

“No, I’m not. I feel fine now. I’m just cold,” she insisted. And she was in a sleeveless top. Okay. She cuddled against me and I rubbed her goosebumps.

At intermission she still argued that she was fine-but-cold, so by the time it was obvious that she was definitely sick in spite of her denials, the show was practically over, and it was easier to wait out the last couple of numbers.

At the end of the show, there was a two minutes period of effusive congratulations for J before we hustled everyone out ASAP. Drama ensued.  Once M’s stoic veneer cracked, she fell apart. J felt bad about M, but also upset that there would not be the anticipated ice cream outing. M accused J of being more upset about ice cream than about her. Sobbing for both girls. Then, vomiting for one. Followed by some more sobbing.  Oy.

We split up into two cars (W works downtown). I took sick M home. She was so chilled and miserable that she requested no radio and no air conditioning at all. I drove slightly too quickly in an oppressive, silent car. Meanwhile, Cute W tried to find a spot to have an impromptu late-night date with J. He tried a succession of places, all  closed. By the time W & J arrived home, they were both famished and discouraged. J looked at me and her eyes filled with tears.

Another switcheroo. W carried M up to bed while I slapped some bug stuff on J, microwaved some leftovers, and yanked out a blanket for an in-the-dark picnic. We went outside and the fireflies were out. She caught two bugs on her own for the first time and wasn’t even disappointed when they escaped moments later.  Ten minutes outside and the night was saved for J. As we walked up to bed she gave me a big hug and probably the best “Thank you, Mommy!” I’ve ever received.

M, meanwhile, had a night of misery, and she wasn’t feeling great today.  The question is, will she recover in time to sing her big solo in the 3rd grade play tomorrow night? Again, I need some health karma, please.

And, in case you were wondering, all this is why I never got around to posting last night!