“You are invited to a very special mother’s day treat,” the invitation read. “The children have been working very hard to prepare a very special treat for you. Please join us to celebrate your day with a morning event meant to honor you.”
I happily RSVP’d that I’d be there. <cue saccharin> What a sweet moment for my precious little boys to show off as their inaugural elementary year rapidly began to rush toward its close.
I rolled up to the school and immediately spotted a hoard of mothers milling around outside the two adjoining portable classrooms comprising our suburban kindergartens. Inside, I have no doubt frazzled underpaid teachers were rushing around trying to coral 6-year-olds wild with the excitement from a change in schedule.
It was at this point that full realization set in. This was not a combined grade-level effort – such as the spring concert we’d enjoyed by the full kinder component earlier in the week. This was individual classes creating their own individual programs.
My twin boys were in separate classrooms.
Competing attentions. I straddled the playground lines between classes and did some pre-game warm-ups. I was about to attempt to attend both programs at the same time. Running shoes ready.
I entered Search’s classroom first. Each child would come to the door and greet his or her mother and escort her to a table-clothed seat with prime viewing of the class performance.
Search stood stock-still in his corner. He did not move. Although I did see the corners of his mouth twitch into a smile when he saw me. I found my own way to a seat, considering this a great improvement from the last split-screen attempt – the first day of school.
The day kindergarten started, I’d started in Destroy’s class before running over to wish Search well. The end result was me trying to escape Search’s class without him fleeing behind me. Shout out to the nice mom who took pity on my little man and guided a sobbing Search in with her own son. (Trivia: said son is now Search’s BFF.)
Singing in rounds (unintentionally), Search’s class performed a rousing rendition of “She’s Got the Whole World in Her Hands.” Search remained in his stock-still stance; artistic performance is not his thing. I maintained eye contact and cheered wildly anyway.
At the conclusion of the first act, I stood from the tiny tot table, and darted out of the classroom. The whole classroom turned to look at me as Search called out, “Hey! We’re not done yet!”
“I’ll be right back! I’ve got to go see brother,” I mouthed while gesticulating frantically toward the classroom next door.
I tiptoed into Destroy’s classroom completely unnoticed. At least until Destroy spotted me and called everyone to attention by interrupting his teacher and shouting, “Hey! My mom showed up!”
I took my seat and enjoyed a poem and song before running back to the first classroom.
My plan to inconspicuously dart between performances was then officially crushed. Search’s classroom door was shut. And locked.
I had to knock. “Hey! It’s me, the mom trying to not be noticed. Can you let me back in to the private performance?”
Later I tried closing the door oh-so-gently, so that it wouldn’t latch.
Nope.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
Upon my later return to Destroy’s class, my little muppet looked up at me as I poorly navigated the mini-mite size table and chairs, “We made a special snack of cookie and strawberries for the mommies. But I saved you a strawberry. Now can I read you my card?”
He smiled adorably while wiping his mouth of crumbs from the long vanquished cookie, left too long alone in my absence.
Destroy picked up his hand-drawn “I Love My Mommy” picture book and began to read.
The best thing about my mom is…that she loves me.
I like it best when my mom…is happy.
My mom thinks I am…a [muppet].
Out of the mouths of babes – although I do suppose it came out of my mouth first.
I guess they do pay attention.
**********
I love that you call them the muppets. How did you come up with that?
Several hours before their imminent arrival, as medical personnel scurried about prepping an OR, Jon posted a cryptic status update on Facebook. “It’s time to play the music/It’s time to light the lights/It’s time to meet the Muppets on the Muppet Show tonight!” It stuck.
Which muppets do they remind you of?
Now that they’re big giant babies, they seem to personify Kermit and Fozzie Bear. Search is thoughtful and takes everything in around him. Destroy is his happy-go-lucky best friend and constantly cracking jokes that no one can understand as of yet. As tiny little guys in the NICU, with their preemie pattern baldness, they were eerily similar to Statler and Waldorf – the cranky old men up in the balcony.
