This past fall, Meo started Chinese School in the youngest class: cricket (ages 18 months through 2). Together, they took martial arts, Chinese language, arts and crafts, and dance. In the dance class, they spent every week learning a couple of songs that they were to preform for their big Chinese New Year event. One song was a train in which they just ran around with ribbons. The other was about a tiger, and this one they were supposed to learn the lyrics and gestures for. Robbie especially spent a lot of time practicing this song with Meo, and he was able to do it perfectly at home. On stage was a different story, but that's okay.
The week before the performance we had a dress rehearsal. It lasted about five minutes and we just all kind of ran around the stage bewildered then took a group photo. We really had no idea what to expect for the actual performance with hundreds of people in the audience.
Cricket class
The following Saturday was the big day. Lots of family came to see Meo's very first performace: Memere and Pepere, Mema and Puppup, Grandma and Grandpa, Auntie Jess and Auntie Sam! It was so wonderful to have so much support; Meo is very loved! Here are some pictures of Meo and his classmates before going onstage:
Practicing his tiger roar
Robbie held Link during the performace
Quinn, Greyson and Meo
Quinn, Greyson, Meo, Alexandra, Benji, and Adrien
Then it was performance time. I was so worried that they would freeze or start crying when they saw all the people in the audience. But all of the kids were so brave; they didn't even seem to notice or care! They ran around on stage for the train song. And while none of the kids actually sang or did the gestures for the tiger song, they still were very cute little tigers and Meo got a lot of laughs when he lay down on the stage at the end. What everyone didn't know was that at that point he told me that he "wanted to go home and go to sleep with Mama".
After the performance, we sat down in the audience and watched the rest of the classes perform. They all did a great job, but it was especially fun to see the high school class. Meo wanted to go home and sleep, but he sat still with Mama instead. Mema came and brought him a carnation, which was pretty and we were very appreciative of. However, Meo promptly shredded it to bits in the front. Oh well, thanks for the gesture Mema and Puppup! At the end of the show, they called up all the kids to the stage while they thanked contributors. This had not been rehearsed, and everyone in our cricket class was gone except for Meo and Greyson. Not sure what to do, Christina and I brought the boys up and told them to run onto the stage with the other kids. Greyson was feeling shy and didn't go, but Meo surprised me and ran right out onto stage. He clapped with the other kids, then at one point yelled over to me "Mama! Come out here!" (which I didn't). Then he got adventurous and started to run across the stage. This was fine until he disappeared on the other side and I had to crawl below the stage to try to quickly get over there and find him. But by the time I got over there, he had run back to the other side looking for me. This back and forth went on for a bit, and I was afraid he would start yelling for me or cry, but he kept his cool. Eventually one of his teachers caught him on the other side and brought him to me. I was so relieved!
Off the stage, the kids got to put on their formal Chinese outfits. They had a cafeteria with food and a gymnasium full of arts and crafts. Meo was exhausted and too hungry to wait in the long line for food so Grandma and Grandpa took us all out to a Chinese buffet for lunch. Meo wore his little outfit and was fed lots of sweet and delicious things. He had a blast, and was completely worn out by the end of it.
Greyson and Meo
Running really fast!
Robinsons
Thanks again for everyone who came for Meo's big day. We love you all! And Meo, we are very proud of you!
