So we did some normal family things.
On Saturday, I took the kids to a Circus/theater performance filled with amazing gymnastics and humor. Kind of a highbrow version of Barnum and Bailey–it was what I imagine Cirque du Soliel is like. Many in the Cirque Works troupe are former olympic and college level gymnasts, with a couple of trapeze artists and a contortionist thrown in for good measure.
I was a bit nervous when I found out the performance was 2 hours long and yet that wasn’t really the issue for Avery. Not to worry, however; he of course pulled yet another random weird thing to stress me out about during the show. In his judgement, the sound (audio) was too loud @ the show (had it been a hair louder, I am convinced he would have freaked out and we would have had to make a quick exit from The Alys Stephens Center). I was relieved that he only screamed at the top of his lungs about a half dozen times at me when I had the gall to add my clapping to the loudness “STOP CLAPPING, MOM!!!, he’d shriek. “I TOLD YOU TO STOP CLAPPING!!!!” Veins popping from his forehead, face beat red. Man, that kid is a wildcard.
Anyhow, I was really glad I splurged on good 4 th row tickets (actually, theirs were only $10. Mine was a bit more), because you could see the actors’ expressions and really get into the performance. I swear, I even heard the contortionist’s pants rip when she did a particularly pretzle-like move.
Anyway, I left that event a hero, with both kids agreeing enthusiastically that that was the best thing I had ever brought them to. Later Avery amended his judgement, saying that flying in an airplane is actually more fun than Cirque Works.
Now they both want to go to gymnastics camp this summer. I had to tell them that they’ll probably just be learning to do cartwheels and not be spinning upside down inside of giant wheels or gyrating with 6 hula hoops at once while simultaneously doing the splits and a handstand or hanging from ropes by their ankles while swinging wildly from the ceiling.
They still want gymnastics.
And today, Marley started playing soccer.
She loved it. “It was fun, mom, ” she said. And was so genuinely excited, happy and full of life. It felt, well, kind of normal.
I can’t believe I’m doing this by myself. I can’t believe Mike is missing this.