Tommy’s Turn

It doesn’t seem possible, but I am on the verge of going to my second movie within a mere three weeks. This is a major novelty for me. When Lee and I were dating, we went to at least one movie every week. Now we go to one or two movies every year.

“The Incredibles” opens this weekend. It is the new Pixar animation offering. We have decided it is to be Tommy’s first movie. I can’t wait to see his reaction–the popcorn, the Coke, the seats and the giant screen. It is all beyond his comprehension. To him, watching a movie means popping a DVD in the player and feeding microwave popcorn to the dog. It isn’t an “event” or a special treat. In our family, going to the first movie is a milestone, much like the first day of preschool or the first time on a carousel. You only get that chance to see your child’s initial reaction once in their lifetime, to guide them as they discover something brand new and really cool.

Aidan’s first movie was Disney’s animated “Tarzan”, the summer of 1999. She was a few weeks shy of turning two and very verbal for her age. She sat on her diaper bag, a makeshift booster seat. As Tarzan swung around from vine to vine, his hair flowing, Phil Collins’s voice over-stretching earnestly through the blaring speakers, Aidan whispered, “look, mama, it’s Jesus!”

“Monster’s Inc.” was Ryley’s first movie. I took Aidan to her first movie, so Lee got to take Ryley to his first movie. The theater was in a mall, so while Ryley and Lee were in the movie, I shopped with Aidan and Sam. We waited outside the theater to get the scoop on how the movie went. Lee and Ryley came out of the theater holding hands, Ryley was bouncing. He was so happy. Lee said that when the movie ended, Ryley started clapping wildly, stood on his seat, and demanded “Hugs! Hugs! Hugs!”

Sammy–ever the strong, silent type–saw “Finding Nemo” (there seems to be a Pixar theme). He was scared of the shark at the beginning and sat with his hand clamped over his mouth for the first fifteen minutes. Then he relaxed and ate about 3 pounds of popcorn. He didn’t say a word, just soaked it all in like he had already been to dozens of movies.

The reactions were as varied as the personalities of the kids.

Tomorrow, it is Tommy’s turn.