Three or four days after my camera was stolen, it suddenly dawned on my that the following Saturday was Nicholas' first Winter Formal. Both my sister and my ex-husband, both of whom know how much it means to me to be a historian of sorts, had offered me the temporary use of their cameras, and I can't tell you how much that meant to me. However, Doug also knew that no matter what, he wanted to make sure we got my camera replaced. He knew it was the one thing I'd really want to splurge on, since it's something that I use all the time. He took me to Best Buy, and we shopped for cameras. The big brother of my stolen camera was on sale, and we couldn't pass it up. I was ecstatic to be able to use it to take pictures of my very handsome young man and his lovely date at the Buchanan Winter Formal.
Doug and Nicholas, getting ready for the dance. It was really sweet to see Doug helping Nicholas with his cuff links and his tie. Am I a little emotional? Yes. Yes I am. I remember a Winter Formal many years ago when Doug was putting on his own cuff links and tie, and picking me up for our Formal date.
Mama's handsome boy.
It was pretty fun, actually, the whole week prior to the dance, when Doug and I tried to impart little gems of dating wisdom to him. When your first date ever is a Winter Formal, it's kind a high bar.
"Even if you don't want to dance, dance. It's her first dance, too, and you don't want her first high school dance to be one where she sits in a chair all night."
"Don't forget that you have to budget for tip for your dinner. And tax."
"Take a toothbrush so you can brush your teeth after dinner. You don't want to slow dance with the girl when there's a piece of lettuce stuck in your braces."
"Have a few conversation starters already planned, in case you're not sure what to talk about at dinner."
"At some point in time in the evening, make sure you tell your date she looks pretty. She probably will have spent a lot of time and effort to dress up for the dance--let her know you appreciate it."
"Look her in the eye when you're talking to her."
"Whatever you do, if there's a t.v. on in the restaurant, don't sit facing it. You get distracted far too easily by t.v., and you'll stop talking to her."
"When her mom picks her up from the dance, be sure to walk her out to the car. Don't just wave and let her walk out by herself. Also, if she's cold, offer her your tux jacket to wear."
"Make her laugh, and you won't go wrong."
And to his credit, he didn't balk or get embarrassed, or even roll his eyes when we dropped these little hints throughout the week. He just took it all in.
Nicholas and his best friend, Edward.
Nicholas and his date, Pearl. (Pearl is Edward's cousin.) They all went out to dinner together at Red Robin before the dance.
I thought perhaps Nicholas might not dance, but his whole group got out and rocked out together.
When I drove Nicholas home, he said he'd had a lot of fun. Of course, he might have just been saying that because he thought that's what I wanted to hear. But his Facebook status later that night: WINTER FORMAL: AWESOME. BEST NIGHT EVER.
My little boy is growing up, and I couldn't be happier!
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