Hold Your Applause
It was all over when they clapped. Any chance that anyone had of a restful, quiet 4-hour flight to Dallas was all over when the people in rows 18 through 20 clapped.
Victoria loves her some clapping.
As always, we waited until the last minute to board the plane for our annual flight to Texas for Christmas; pre-boarding kids is like showing up to a Kevin Costner movie early enough to see previews of other Kevin Costner movies. So yesterday morning, when everyone else was on board and strapped in, my wife and I herded our girls onto the plane. And as Victoria climbed up into her window seat at 17A, she saw the people behind her.
"Oh, hi!" she said to them. "I'm Victoria! And this," she pointed to me, "this is my Brian!"
The laughter was their first mistake. Talking to her was their second.
"Your Brian?" the woman directly behind questioned.
"Yes! My Brian! He's my friend! And now I'm going to sing a song!"
And so she did, standing up in her chair, looking out over the sea of people in the rows behind her, she belted out "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town." And the people clapped.
They clapped because she knew the words. They clapped because she sang those words well. They clapped because it was probably the cutest thing they had ever seen before 7 AM on a plane heading to Dallas. But most of all, they clapped because they did not know how many Christmas songs Victoria knew.
They know now.
Don't they know better???
Not encouraging the kids is the same as not feeding the bears in the park.
The sign is there for a reason!!!
Posted by: Shaneka | December 22, 2007 at 10:01 AM
oh NO!
I know how that goes. I've got a "singer" in the bunch (except she's a little monotone) and she just doesn't quit at one song.
I think the other girls are sick of it too because if I start to sing, Kristin covers my mouth and says "Preeze, no singin."
Glad to see you made it back in one piece! Happy Holidays :)
Posted by: loren | December 22, 2007 at 10:01 AM
Merry Xmas The Dad and family! Have fun in Texas!
Posted by: Shiri | December 22, 2007 at 10:02 AM
Oh boy. That one makes me laugh because I wasn't on that plane. Hope the return flight knows better. Have a Merry Christmas.
Posted by: Michell | December 22, 2007 at 12:00 PM
Merry Christmas! Hope the flight back contains less singing!
Posted by: Laura | December 22, 2007 at 12:00 PM
One more thing- treasure the fact that you're "her friend Brian". Your introduction to strangers will be very different when she's in High School.
Posted by: Laura | December 22, 2007 at 12:04 PM
hmmm... boarding last. We'll have to try that next time. That way we can see the look of fear & panic on ALL the passengers as we walk down the aisle schlepping our 3 whiney-assed kids. (who do NOT have levely singing voices)
Posted by: heidi | December 22, 2007 at 12:53 PM
It's funny because I wasn't there!
Heh.
Posted by: Victoria | December 22, 2007 at 02:27 PM
Singing is SO MUCH BETTER than screaming, crying, jumping, running up and down aisles or kicking seats. All y'all - passengers, parents and siblings, oughta quit scrooging and hope she sings all the way home too!!!
Posted by: Kat | December 22, 2007 at 07:12 PM
Welcome home gang! Glad that you all made it in for the holidays in one piece, even with the singing. If you venture to Ennis stop by the office so I can meet the girls.
Happy Holidays!
Posted by: Candie Beck-Adams | December 22, 2007 at 09:03 PM
And that is why we drive for our Christmas vacation. My kid is annoying enough, I don't need someone else's trying to outdo her.
Actually, I probably would have encouraged her, too. I like to reward kids who don't scream and throw things at me. Mine does that enough already.
Posted by: Burgh Baby's Mom | December 22, 2007 at 09:29 PM
Oh wait! She knows ONE, over and over and over again!! :D
Posted by: amy | December 22, 2007 at 10:16 PM
Glad you guys made the trip okay. I'm sure everyone was applauding because Victoria is precious, as are her to sisters and I agree w/the other comments - I would much rather listen to a cute little girl singing then crying or screaming. You guys have a Merry Christmas.
Posted by: Keri Bea | December 23, 2007 at 10:01 AM
Oh my, that made me laugh out loud. (hee hee)
Have a wonderful Christmas!
Posted by: scatteredmom | December 23, 2007 at 01:12 PM
A singing child on an early morning flight. That'll wake you faster than a cup of joe.
Posted by: Jason | December 23, 2007 at 05:56 PM
This got a tremendous amount of laughter around here. Can't wait to hear about the return flight.
Posted by: Bennie | December 23, 2007 at 06:06 PM
Happy to read that Victoria was such a hit...as others have written, the other passengers were thankful it wasn't a screaming and crying child. Wishing you and The Family a very Merry Christmas, hope Santa brings you the coolest toys, you deserve it.
Posted by: Angela | December 24, 2007 at 11:03 AM