A terminally ill woman sets out to film a video message for her toddler daughter to watch on her twelfth birthday. Struggling to find the right words and technologically challenged, she embarks upon what she considers a "dress rehearsal." Armed with animal puppets, tap shoes, and an irreverent sense of humor, she explores the daunting task of passing on some kind of motherly wisdom. Through a series of candid stories about her own growth to maturity, she tries to justify choices she's making that will prevent her from being part of her little girl's life. In doing so, she confronts aspects of her identity that are the source of her deepest fears and greatest strengths.