Two, Three and Four

So, we’ve just left Florida, heading for our Georgia hotel, on the way to Alabama, where we have two shows. Lydia is at the wheel, Ben is navigating, and I am flanked by Michelle and Leah in the back seat. The iPod is playing Andrew Bird. In case you haven’t guessed by now, I’m writing from the van. EXTREME BLOGGING!! Exciting, right? (Hey, I gotta get my thrills somehow.)

Today’s show was, for me, a lesson in child development. We performed at a preschool in a Methodist church. They had a big, cavernous, sprung-floor gym, large enough for the entire set and an audience of 100 kids, plus a ton of parents. So, with the full house built (and tons of room to spare in all directions), our eager audience was ushered in and seated down according to age: two year-olds in front, three year-olds in the middle and four year-old in the back (with the kids-at-heart in chairs behind them, of course).

Now, they tell me that two year-olds and four year-olds are pretty far apart developmentally. Sure, they’ll react to the same kind of stimulus, but in very different ways. And this was made very clear to me at today’s show, particularly during the Blue Tarantula. As the scene started, the four year-olds were actively excited, moving around nervously and clapping their hands erratically. The three year-olds shifted a little, but had their eyes glued on Max and Ruby. Our two year-old audience members were staring at, um, something (not sure what), and pulling some severe slack-jaw.

And, as it got scarier, the differences became more profound.

The two year-olds covered their ears. The three year-olds covered their eyes. And the four year-olds laughed. Hard. Pretty cool, huh?

Perhaps, however, the greatest moment of the show was at the end. We went backstage to change (Ruby and Valerie went out to meet some kids, but they returned quickly) and, after the house had cleared, we went to grab some lunch. However, when we returned, we found these on Ruby’s table:



Our first fan mail!!! They’re going up in the van.

I love kids!!

Kid quote of the day: Before the show, a little boy waddled in and excitedly asked, “Is that Max & Ruby’s house?” After his teacher informed him that it was indeed their house, he asked, “Can I go inside?”

Call tomorrow: 11:00am, Quality Inn parking lot in Tiftin, GA. Heading to Alabama. Oh boy.