Dance your heart out!

Dance your heart out precious Cupcake....Mommy will just sit over here and cry her eyes out.

I blame the pregnancy. But if I'm honest, it may not have been any different even if I wasn't pregnant. A few weeks ago Cupcake's sweet friend Lily invited us to take the summer dance session with her. I had to think long and hard about dressing my cupcake in precious dance clothes for an activity that happens in an air conditioned environment in the middle of my pregnant summer. Ummm. YES!!!!!

So the first class rolled around and I took a very excited cupcake upstairs to put on dance class clothes. Something between pajamas coming off and ballet attire going on aged my girl from tiny tot to big girl. I nearly cried when I stepped back to examine my first work of tights and pinned back pony tails. We got to class early and in the waiting area excitement turned to nerves for my little cupcake. She wasn't sure what to expect and her friend Lily wasn't there yet. My heart can relate....but I knew what was coming so I assured her dance class would start soon and everything would be fun!

Class started and Ms. Nancy was fabulous! She had lamb puppets, pretty props, sweet girly music, and was patient and encouraging of the tiny dancers. Though cupcake did lots of observing before trying each thing I could tell she was THRILLED to be in dance class.

They warmed up:



They were butterflies:


The did London Bridge (with Lily):

They did a few basics (pretty decent 2nd position if I do say!):


All was going well in dance class. Though I was constantly battling the lump in my throat with each cute move she did....it was going well.

UNTIL.....

Out come the star wand props. On goes the all-too-familiar (even roughly 25 years later) piano ballet version of Twinkle, Twinkle. And like the downpour of every all girly, ballet dancing, pink tutu wearing, precious baby girl dream at once, came the tears. I could barely get a good picture. Wait...I didn't really. All I got were these:

Suddenly my memory bank flew open to 1985 and memories flooded over me of someone else's (ahem) first dance recital. Ahhhh the joy in learning steps, challenging your body, training flexibility, putting it all to music, and preforming. It's freeing, it's fabulous, it's totally girly....and at this point it's 3 generations in the making. What could I do but cry? And for the first time utter the words in my head "I will NOT be a crazy dance Mom" repeat "I will NOT be a crazy dance Mom"

Of course I had to quickly wipe away each tear and pull it together because my precious cupcake didn't let 5 minutes pass without a quick glance to make sure I was watching. I wanted her to see a smile that said "You look beautiful! You are talented! I'm so proud of you!" (Because those are true). But also were the tears of a pregnant Mommy reminiscing and wishing her own Mom was there for this very special first.

It was a perfect idea for our summer and I'll have more dance class videos and pictures to share soon enough, I'm sure. In the meantime, I will NOT be a crazy dance Mom, repeat I will NOT be a crazy dance Mom.

Think I was kidding? Twinkle, Twinkle circa 1985: