A New Song

Almost a week of practicing has come and gone...and what a week it has been. We are all still adjusting to the rehearsal schedule. We overslept on Friday morning...which no one in this house ever does, and we all decided to do nothing tonight...which we never do! Will had rehearsal yesterday from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m, and today from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Long hours this kid has been keeping. I think we are more tired than he is.

Mom: You were at practice for a REALLY long time today. I missed you...did you miss us??
Will: Yes.
Mom: What did you do all day?
Will: We practiced "Pick a Pocket or Two."
Mom: What about "Food Glorious Food?"
Will: Yeah, we did that too. We spent more time on "Pick a Pocket or Two" today.
Mom: Who is in "Pick a Pocket or Two" with you?
Will: Oliver, Dodger, Fagan and Fagan's Gang. I'm in Fagan's gang.
Mom: Are all of the kids in Fagan's Gang?
Will: No. Mostly the boys...but a few girls. Mom, I am supposed to be the youngest one in Fagan's Gang, so the Fagan is training me to steal things...not for real...in the show.
Mom: OH...that sounds interesting! Did you learn the song and dance today?
Will: We learned the song but not the dance. But they needed a kid to go on Alex's shoulders and they picked me. So I went on his shoulders but my leg started to hurt because of his shoulder, so someone esle had to do it. But then when I saw another kid try it, I changed my mind and told Ms. Kate that I wanted to do it now because it would make you proud, but they kept the other kid doing that part up on the shoulders. I'm not going to do it.
Mom: Will, I am always proud of you. You don't need to be on someone's shoulders for me to be proud of you! Tell me what else you did today?
Will: I got fitted for my shoes. I am a size 13.
Mom: What do the shoes look like?
Will: They look like tap shoes, but they don't have taps on the bottom, and they are soft not hard...and they are not plastic.
Mom: What about lunch? What did you do at lunch?
Will: I ate everything in my lunch box except for one pack of crackers, and then I played "Deal or No Deal" on my Nintendo DS. Some kids watched me.
Mom: How were the kids? Were there any problems?
Will: Well, I spilled water on my pants on the break and when I came back into the room, one by ( Will named him, but I will not) said," Hey everybody, Will had an accident." He said it to everyone. I told Ms. Kate and she took him out of the room for a little, then he came back in.
Mom: Were you upset?
Will: Yes, I made a face but I didn't cry. I made the face so no one else could see.
Mom: Who is the nicest kid you met so far?
Will: Sam.
Mom: Why is he so nice?
Will: Because he does nice stuff for everyone and is nice to everyone. At lunch time he played with everybody. Can we carve the pumpkins now?
Mom: Yes, Will.

Why do kids have to be so mean???UGHH!!! That part broke my heart. Will is excited to be part of Fagan's Gang. He thinks that song is really cool. Although he was there for a long period of time today, he is not one bit tired. He came through the door, happy and excited about getting ice cream and carving pumpkins tonight. Hope and Molly won a raffle at Settlement Music School today. That is where they take piano lessons. The prize was a BIG Halloween basket with lots of Halloween treats. They told Will that since he probably won't get to go Trick or Treating because of the rehearsals, that the basket could be his, as long as he shares some of the stuff in it with them! He was smiling from ear to ear.
I want him to have a great time while in this play, but I also want him to stay a typical kid...a kid that happens to like musicals and singing and dancing.  I don't want other kids to make him feel bad about himself or tease him because he is the youngest one. I want this experience to be a positive one. Let's hope that it is!