Dance Recital: All I Had Hoped For

From the moment the girls enrolled in the summer session for dance, I have been dreaming of the recital.  It was a combination of my love for my dance dance (specifically recitals) and the thought of them just loving it and lighting up on stage.  As the summer session came and went and they both still loved dance, I enrolled them for the fall session with excitement.  The costumes came in and their faces lit up and boy once I mentioned that they wore makeup on stage-- they were ALL IN and ready. 

Now, I realize this isn't for everyone.  Some will even say I made them do this, and to an extent, that is true.  Even if they had wanted to quit, I would have made them finish out the term and do the recital.  Thankfully I didn't have to do that because they loved it so much.  The costumes and the makeup are just extra fun- things that my girls enjoy.  I have seen Amelia's confidence grow as she learns the steps and that thrills me to no end.  And Elise, haha, well that sweet girl just continues to blow my mind as nothing is daunting to her. 

The day of recital, I was a nervous wreck.  As in, you would think my daughters were preparing for the Winter Olympics with a chance of bringing home the gold.  I was DYING waiting for three oclock to get here.  And as silly as that sounds, it is the honest truth.  Have to record it for honesty sake, lol.  We pull up at the auditorium the same time as mom and dad and that eased my nerves.  No nerves for the girls, of course.  They don't even know what that word means and oh how I love that innocence.  Ross had saved us great seats and then it was time to wait for their numbers. 

Before Costumes

Being patient backstage with her iPad

Posing backstage (and the most EXCITED dancer ever)

 

 

 Right before they went on stage, I ran out the the audience with my heart BEATING OUT OF MY CHEST.  Would they do the dance?  Would they remember the moves?  Would they be sad that I was out there?  Happy?  The curtain lifted and they did great--fabulous!!  And, I got to experience another magical parent moment.  Once it is show time, you just don't care.  You don't care if your kid is the best.  Or even does the moves right.  You want your little two year old and four year old to have FUN.  To feel excited and free and important.  To feel beautiful and loved.  To feel special and fancy.  And I could tell by their faces that they did.  They felt all those things.  Ahhh so happy and proud. 

And this picture cracks me up because Elise added an extra spin in, you know, just because.

Then it was time for Amelia's jazz routine.  This routine was everything to her.  She loved it the most, practiced it the most, and COULD NOT WAIT.  It was phenomenal.  They hit every single move.  All to the music.  It was just awesome and I enjoyed myself so thoroughly.  

When she was done, we went out to sit with the fam (G, Pa, Gammy, Gampy, and Elise) and everyone was so proud.  We were just a big happy ball. They were too cute up stage for the finale too.  I felt so blessed all day.  LOVEEEEE.