My Oldest Son, The Mountain

BigBrother is a loud, in-your-face kind of child. He absolutely adores music and sings all day long. Until you place him on a stage. Then he just kind of stands there and smiles, strikes Buzz Lightyear poses and occasionally shoots the corporate gun. I’m not kidding. Something about a stage renders this child mute. Perhaps I should keep a stage and an audience waiting for when I need to make a phone call at home.

Not a bad idea.

Last night was BigBrother’s Christmas program with his preschool. He had told us that two of the three songs were “Go Tell It On The Mountain” and “Up On The Housetop.” We had no clue as to what the mysterious and unknown third song could or would be as he couldn’t tell us a single word in the entire song. We figured this meant that he wouldn’t sing that particular one. I normally try to learn which songs they’re singing for a program ahead of time and sing them with him in the days or weeks leading up to a program so that he does more than act like a Super Hero on stage.

They started out with the unknown song, Santa Claus is Coming to Town. He stood and smiled. No Super Hero poses. Just some waving in my direction. I melted, smiled back and waved. The second song was “Up on the Housetop” and by the end of the song he was singing some of the words. But quietly. Which, as I said, is very unlike my oldest son.

And then, it happened.

They started singing “Go Tell It On Mountain” and my noisy, music-loving, ham of an oldest son shined the brightest that he has ever shined on a stage. Not only did he sing, full voice, but he did the hand motions. And not just any hand motions, but the hand motions that went with the words. I could have died of pride.

See? A mountain!

(Cropped so I’m not plastering other mountainous kids online. Also, horrible quality due to horrible lighting and the reflection being bounced of the guy’s head in front of me.)

We were so proud, FireDad and I. Of course, we were proud when he stood on stage, winked at everyone and puffed his chest out like Buzz Lightyear. We’re proud when he wipes his own boogers. We were even proud of LittleBrother last night who rolled around on the floor under the church pew while his brother was on stage because, hey, he did it quietly. (See? I have appropriate expectations of each child despite their close ages.)

What I mean to say is that we love these boys dearly and we’re proud of them for being who they are. I took this picture before his program because I was so proud of him in general.

He was pretty proud of himself, too.