Jitterbugs

We signed Caleb up for Jitterbugs this year. I didn't want to do it because I thought it wasn't necessary and it was just extra money. Then his teacher told me that when the other kids in his class leave to go to Jitterbugs, Caleb would get so sad because he wanted to go. Well, that got my heartstrings, so I signed him up. He's been going for a few months now and he comes home from daycare every Thursday talking about how much fun he had at Jitterbugs. This Saturday was the end of quarter recital. We were pretty apprehensive, considering how the Christmas plays have gone in the past, but went in talking it up and telling Caleb how excited we were to see him dance. Well...here's a picture of him from the first song - something about spacemen. Fortunately, there was another kid (front left) who also did absolutely nothing during this song.
This is the second song - a really cute one with Donald & Daisy Duck - and Caleb spent the whole song with the bib of his costume in his mouth. The other kid danced his heart out from this point forward. Caleb was the only one who stood there like he wanted to melt into the stage.

Song number 3: Elves in Neverland. No dancing. None at all.

Song 4: Old Time Rock & Roll. This is the song he has talked about nonstop for months. This was his chance to dance to a rock & roll song while wearing sunglasses. He never moved. He watched everyone else, but never took a step and never put on the glasses.

Here are the videos. (I had to split them into 2 separate parts to make them uploadable.) I was thinking if I kept recording, he might come out of his shell and at least move a little. Didn't happen. Also - I know these are small and the quality is poor, but that's how they have to be to get them on blogger. If you're just dying to see them bigger, let me know and I'll e-mail them to you.

I wasn't sure what I was feeling as I watched this. My initial thought was that I was embarrassed, but then I realized that wasn't it at all. (Though the sympathetic looks from the other parents were a little embarrassing.) The truth is that I was sad for Caleb. I felt awful that he stood up there on that stage and couldn't bring himself to do what he had so much fun doing in the practices. I just didn't know why he couldn't do it. Was it stagefright? Everyone who knows him knows that he puts on a show for everyone in our family and everyone who comes to our house. But he's not comfortable in unfamiliar places and with unfamiliar people. I wasn't embarrassed, I wanted to rescue him. But I didn't. I knew that he needed to finish what he started and he did. He stood on the stage for the entire performance. He didn't cry and he didn't run away. That's the accomplishment I'll take from it. Even though I wish he had been the cute kid dancing his heart out like I know he can - at least he finished it. Maybe next time he'll be more comfortable and he'll do it. Maybe not.

Here's the kicker of the story. Rudy put Caleb to bed last night and asked what the best part of his day was. Caleb's answer: "dancing on stage with my friends." WHAT?!?! Rudy asked him why he didn't dance. His answer: "because you were taking my picture." Again... WHAT?!?! He swears that if we hadn't been taking his picture, he would've danced. I highly doubt that, but if that's his story, we'll let him stick to it. Next time we'll be sneakier about taking his picture.