Hibou dressed up in a leotard and tights as well. She planned on dancing in the hallway with "mommy teacher" (which is also her name for me when we sit down to do school at home. Papillon prefers to just call me mommy)
Excited and ready for class!
Trying to figure out how to put on a tutu.
Even Tritio was all smiles for the occasion.
This smiley photo was taken before the nerves struck and all manner of chaos descended upon us. A good moment...
Never was an ice cream cone more hard-earned. Hibous fingers were slightly swollen for a couple days but ultimately returned to normal and now she tells the finger-smashing story to any who will listen; and despite the guilt that wells up in me when I think about it, it's a pretty adorable story when she tells it.
After all that excitement, we came home and all took naps - even Titus and myself.
...then all something broke loose. When the teacher appeared and prepared to tell everyone to line up for class, Papillon freaked out. She told me she changed her mind and didn't want to go to ballet. I tried to be encouraging - telling her she'd like it once she got in, and reminding her how much she liked her last ballet class last year. I even told her we were going to go celebrate with slushees after class. "I dont think I want a slushee" she said thoughtfully.
I knew she'd be disappointed ultimately if she didn't go in. So I took her hand to walk her in anyway. She promptly started screaming and jumped on me, physically clinging to me like a monkey. The teacher said I could come in with her for a moment so I walked her in (as in, I walked in while she clung to me, screaming). Hibou, slightly trepidatious about the screaming but mostly curious about the class, followed us in.
Then it got worse. As I am trying to pry papillon from me, the teacher goes to close the door to the class room and suddenly more screaming begins. I look behind me and see Hibou with a horrified look on her face and the teacher with an even more horrified look as she turns to me and says "I am so so sorry!"
It took me a minute to realize that Hibou had had her hand on the hinge side of the door when the teacher closed it. Her fingers were majorly smashed - a blue/purple line running straight across all four.
Me and my screaming girls retreated to the hallway (where triton was peacefully sleeping in his car seat).
Now comes the part where I definitely do NOT win Parent of the Year. I wanted to assess whether or no lt Hibou's fingers were broken (actually I sort of assumed they were...I really just wanted to see if they were still even attached). She wouldn't wiggle them for me and, truth be told, I was afraid to touch them for fear they may just plop over or something equally traumatizing.
I convinced my self that they weren't broken and turned my attention to the next biggest crisis - to quiet some of this screaming. I hugged both girls and held them in my lap as I tried to speak some soothing/distracting words.
Before long Papillon said she was willing to go in if I would walk her in. And I told Hibou she could come in for a minute if she could stop crying. Almost immediately she stopped (Which I took to mean that she felt mostly better). I loaded sleeping triton in the sling (not wanting to leave him in the hallway) and together we slipped into the studio.
It only took 3 or 4 minutes before papillon wanted to join the class and sit by her teacher. So she did and I and the little ones walked out.
As soon as the door closed behind us, Hibou started wailing again. It seems she had held it together while in the class because I had told her she had to if she wanted to come in. She most certainly did not feel better.
Did I go look for ice for her hand? No. Did I ask if any of the other parents there was a doctor so they could check her hand? No. Did I offer her some Smarties or a lollipop from my purse and hope that would make it better? Yes.
It worked. But in retrospect, that doesn't make me feel much better about my choices. A reasonable parent would have at least sought out ice! But God was watching out for Hibou even when I was not thinking straight. And despite the puffiness of her fingers, the smarties made her feel better and there was ultimately no significant damage.
Also, papillon loves her class now. Past the first 5 minutes of terror, she loved it. I knew she would.
After class, papillon chose ice cream from chick fil a as her celebratory treat.
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