Lesson Learned

Last weekend I took Aliza to the Hits Deep concert. It featured TobyMac along with Capital Kings, Chris August, Colton Dixon, Jamie Grace, Brandon Heath and Mandisa. Aliza was super excited. We listened to TobyMac on repeat on Spotify for many days before the concert. The day of the concert she could hardly wait for 6:15 to arrive so we could leave.

I hesitated on buying tickets. They were a pretty penny and adding on the Civic Center fee it was a big deal. She and I talked enough that I was confident that she really wanted to go and she knew enough songs that I knew she could sing along--which is what makes a concert really fun.

I knew I wanted Aliza in an end seat so when I finally purchased tickets the only outside seats were on the top row of the farthest section from the stage. I figured that was ok for a 7 year old's first concert. There is plenty of opportunity for "moving up" as she gets older--and pays for her own tickets!! As it turned out the back row was great. There was a walkway behind the seats so if Aliza needed to move around she could have. The down fall of being up that high is that the spotlights were directly in our eyes. This was our view before the concert with the lights on.

Capital Kings came on and I was all excited. Aliza, on the other hand, had her hands over her ears and wasn't sure she wanted to stay! It had been MANY years since I had been to a concert like this. Honestly, I had forgotten how loud concerts are. Lesson learned: take ear plugs next time.

Aliza did adjust to the volume. She particularly enjoyed Colton Dixon. It was quite possibly because of his "cool dude hair." Mandisa was awesome! We were both singing Overcomer and Good Morning at the top of our lungs.

Then it was intermission and the bathroom line was really long. I told Aliza when TobyMac sang a song that she didn't know I would take her to the bathroom. I could tell that Aliza was getting tired, but she still seemed to be ok.

Intermission ended. TobyMac came on and the light show intensified at least 10 times and the smoke. There was LOTS of smoke. But it was awesome! I was totally into it! Not even a minute into the TobyMac's first song Aliza insisted it was time to use the bathroom. I was like, REALLY?! I took her. We got in the stall and Aliza started crying...saying she wanted to go home and wasn't going back in. She was scared to death of the lights and smoke. I got her to the door....she saw flashing blue lights and smoke in 3 columns on each side of the runway and it was over. She stayed in the foyer while I went in to retrieve our coats. (I had a staff member watch out for her while I went back in.) As I'm walking up the steps to our top row seats all I can see are $$$ in my mind.

Aliza felt bad. I think she was disappointed with herself. I only validated her feelings and assured her it was ok and reminded her how much fun we had listening to all those bands in the first hour and a half. What I have come to believe is that Aliza was on sensory overload. She couldn't take any more visual or auditory stimulation. I'm so glad that she could communicate with me that she needed to leave.

I wanted to take her somewhere for a snack on the way home to end the evening on a happy note. Aliza told me that her tummy had too many butterflies in it to eat. She just wanted to go home, snuggle up in my bed and finish an American Girl book. If you know Aliza...her passing up a snack is a big deal!

I'm happy that I still have a little girl. A little girl who apparently likes "cool dude" hair styles. Haha! I've always resisted paying for high price tickets for fear that the event wouldn't be enjoyed completely. I'm going to stick with that theory for a while longer, I think! Next concert it will be Jeremy and I and I think I'll take ear plugs for myself! Meanwhile, Spotify is still on repeat and her concert memories are getting happier.