December Daily | Day 20

Alex started her big day out by vomiting up her dinner from the night before. It’s a big day because she has her holiday skate exhibition at the rink; this is not the way to start the day! Good news is she wasn’t running a fever. I went to work and then left early to take her to the rink. She said she felt fine by 9 o’clock. So, I am thinking it was just bad dinner or popcorn with too much butter that made her sick.

She seemed to be fine getting ready for the show. I could tell her stomach was a bit weak, but she insisted she could still skate. A winter storm starts to sweep the metro area and it is freezing outside.

Once we arrived at the rink we sat down in the bleachers to watch some other the other skaters perform. That is when Alex said her stomach really hurt and she didn’t want to skate. Really? I am not sure it’s so much her being sick as it is nerves that is upsetting her stomach. She is looking out over the large ice rink with lots of people watching…it’s scary. She said she isn’t feeling like she is going to throw up, it just hurts. Yes, her stomach isn’t 100%  but nerves can add to the discomfort. I think she needs to power through it because she will not always be feeling 100% on “game day”. (Call me a bad mother now.)

“Could you be nervous” I ask.

She reminds me that she has never been nervous. Ever. I know.  She has never had nerves before going out on the ice or on stage for ballet. She has always been excited.

We headed downstairs to find her coach. I am hoping she will give Alex a good pep talk to get her through it. She does. Alex performs and does wonderfully. Later, Alex tells me her coach said, “You’re stomach hurts now, but once you get out on the ice you’ll forget all about that. And when you’re done, your stomach won’t hurt anymore.”

Alex added, “And she was right!”

I am not so evil now am I? I know my kid. I could tell she was nervous even if she still won’t admit it. But this experience has her rethinking her figure skating competition plans. She has more guts than I ever had. I participated in the Flag Corps in high school and I just about lost my lunch every single time before we walked onto the football field.

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I’ve got two Christmas questions for you:

1. Do you known anyone who gathers around a piano on Christmas Eve to sing carols? Everyone in the family is joyfully singing “Silent Night”. Or, does it only happen in Lifetime movies?

2. Do you know anyone you has actually received a brand new Lexus topped with a big red bow for Christmas?