Jun. 22: Recital Day prep

Katie is such a girl. Not in the I-can’t-get-dirty way (yet), but in the stressing-over-accessories way. Actually, it’s not just accessories. It’s her occasional concern with head-to-toe attire, and it absolutely drives me nuts sometimes. When it becomes a constant concern, Momma’s gonna lose it. Pretty sure.

I’m not, even for a second, suggesting that I was not once this way. I know I was. In fact, if you’re my mom, by the time you’re finished reading this post you’ll be thinking, NOW YOU KNOW EXACTLY HOW I FELT, and I will reply with YEAH, BUT IT’S DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU THOUGHT I WAS ADORABLE WHEN I ACTED LIKE THAT, which is a safe thing to say because if you’re my mom, you’re 277 miles away right now and can’t slap me for lying.

Several months ago Katie asked if we could go shopping for her piano recital dress. Her recital is at the end of the school year, and I told her we’d wait until we were closer. Knowing her growth spurts and the way her fashion preferences change, I wasn’t about to get her something she’d outgrown or hate by the time Recital Day arrived. Of course, not long after that we spotted The Dress and I couldn’t resist; it was adorable and we both loved it and damn the possible growth spurt—we bought it. Momma’s a sucker for The Dress.

We weren’t even out of the store when Katie started asking about shoes. Argh.

Last week we went to way too many stores but finally found The Shoes—perfect color, style, everything. Besides the fact that they cost too much, it was a no-brainer. I do love when my girl and I agree on these things.

The other day she had her hair up after her shower and I commented that it looked cute—kind of a messy up-do, so unlike the things she normally does with her hair. Ever since, she’s been wearing it that way. Not out of the house, though… god forbid she trust Mom’s hairstyle preferences in front of her friends. Then yesterday she asked if she could wear it that way for the recital. I was all “meh” about it, trying not to be too excited lest she think it was suddenly uncool. Inside my head, though, I was all OMG SHE MIGHT REALLY DO IT with 14 exclamation points and a very big smile.

Yesterday Katie also asked which purse she should carry. That’s when I started getting a little BA-RUTHER about this, because does she really need to carry a purse for her piano recital? First of all, what will she put in it? (Her answer: phone.) And what will she do with it while she’s playing? (Her answer: you can hold it.)

Exactly.

I’m a little surprised she hasn’t talked much about jewelry choices. She doesn’t wear earrings (I still cringe over that whole experience), but she hasn’t even suggested a necklace or bracelet and she ALWAYS seems worried about the perfect jewelry. I suspect a last-second argument is headed our way.

So today is Recital Day, and ever since Katie got up this morning, she’s been planning out the hours until we go: what time she should do her nails, whether she should do her toenails, or fingernails, or both, when she should take a shower (“before or after my nails?”), what time we should leave to go the mile up Sunnyside to the church in which the recital will be held... Not to mention the questions about the kind of cookies we’ll take for the reception, if we should we get them now, if we’ll have time to stop at Albertsons on the way, what time Dad will be home so we can leave not a minute later than we should…

Remember that scene in A Mighty Wind, in which the organizer of the concert asks one too many questions of the stage manager? It’s been running through my head most the day (see it at 8:30 here). So far I have not let myself get too close to the girl, y’know, just in case I’m tempted to re-enact the scene.

So, do you notice anything missing from Katie’s many Recital Day concerns? Maybe PRACTICING THE SONG SHE IS GOING TO PLAY AT THE RECITAL? Deep breaths, Momma. Deep breaths.

Jack, on the other hand, can hardly be bothered with preparing for the recital in any way. I was tempted to ask Mrs. Jordan not to use his last name in the program because of the very good chance that he will be THAT student who obviously has not prepared for the recital in any way. What terrible parents that students must have! I feel so sorry for them him them.