This sweet face could not wait for her 3rd grade concert.  She practiced all the songs, had the perfect dress picked out, and a plan for her hair and accessories.  Concerts have traditionally been a challenge for our dear Harper.  She exited early from her kinder concert, made it through her grade 1 show wiping her tears throughout the show, and was sick in bed for grade 2. 

We talked (A LOT) about the grade 3 show.   I promised her I would not make eye contact, and she just needed to focus on Mrs. Mancini.  And, Harper was ready?   I dropped her off in her classroom and sent the boys to get some seats.  I gave her a high five (no hugs for sure) and nudged her little nervous body to prepare with her friends.

Upon entering the stage, Harper was very serious and you see she was incredibly uncomfortable.   You also could see  her using all her energy to hold it together.  She watched her teacher intently, performed her small group parts, and played her ukelele.  She did not shed a single tear,

until she walked off that stage and saw her Mama.  The floodgates opened and she cried and cried.  I quickly swept Harper into an empty classroom and told her how incredibly proud of
her I was.  Harper does not like the spotlight shining anywhere in her direction, and tonight, she was so brave.