Dance Recital 2013

Allyson's first dance season has come to close.  She had her dance recital on Saturday afternoon and she did wonderful!  I signed up to be a Backstage Mom, so I stayed with her the whole time.  I'm not really sure how much actual help I was backstage, but I was a presence and I'll know for next year.  ;-)

It was so nice to have familiar faces to pass the time with!!

And here's me and my girl!  I couldn't decide which photo was better, so I'll show you both!  The half smile, but looking away picture or the deer in the head lights one.  It is like PULLING teeth to get her to take a picture these days.  She rarely looks at the camera and has forgotten how to smile and show her teeth. {This sounds like a summer goal!} Oh and I promise I did not have a death grip on her arm!

Show time for our first dance!  The girls did wonderful!  I was actually a little nervous on how Allyson was going to respond to the big stage and crowd considering how skid-dish she can be with new places/experiences.  But I am so happy to report that it did not phase her one bit.  After she came off stage I gave her a ton of praise and for the rest of the day she told me "Mommy, I did SO good today!" Haha! She is not lacking in confidence at least!

After the ballet performance, we came back to the dressing room and had a little snack. 

Then they changed into their ladybug costume.  Since I'm on costumes, I'll go ahead and share my costume drama now.  We did not plan on her being in the recital since we were supposed to be in Africa right now {currazy!!}, so we did not order her costume back in December like everyone else. Once we decided we were staying, we ordered them and paid a late fee and were promised they would here in time for the recital.  Well, we received them before the recital all right...at 6:00 pm on Friday night.  FedEx dropped them off at 5:00 pm  at the dance studio. Talk about a panic attack!  We even had to borrow costumes to take pictures in earlier that week. Wait, it gets better.  I took the costumes out of the bag and hung them up when I got home so they wouldn't have the "I just came out of the bag look" for her recital.  She had been playing outside and was all sweaty, so I didn't have her try them on and at this point and I wasn't up for finding out if they fit or not...umm too late for that.

Anyway, I had noticed some extra pink thread on her ballet costume where the strap meets the front and hoped that wasn't unraveled thread.  I was wrong...my gut was right.  Saturday morning at 11:30, hair and make-up were done, we are on time and just need to get dressed.  She gently steps into her pink ballet costume and the strap is no longer attached to the front of her costume.  Did this just happen!?!?  I did not have time to panic (or call my mom).  I found some button thread, which is probably the thickest thread I've ever seen, and a needle and stitched it right back up.  Now I am NO seamstress at all, but I was very pleased on getting it attached and not going through the front of the costume.  Thank you Jesus.

And here is my little ladybug!!  So proud of her.  She tapped great and really had an awesome time out there! And to think I almost pulled her out of the tap class back in January because I did not even think she was paying attention or getting anything out of the class...I was wrong! Now she did not perform every move, but on the whole I think this is the best I've seen her do it!

All the girls came out for one last bow!

Allyson loved getting flowers...they are her fave!!

Nanny, PawPaw, Grandpa Leonard, Grandma Cony, Aunt Alisha, Uncle JoJo, Uncle David and Daddy and the boys were out in the audience cheering her on!!

Tiny Dancer

This morning Allyson had a mini Christmas dance recital for her tap and ballet classes. While she is not the most advanced one in her class, she says she enjoys it and thats all that matters. She said that the shuffle step was her favorite part about her performance. I'm proud of my little tiny dancer!

 

Allyson the Tapper

This morning Allyson had tap and ballet class.  They recently moved into a new studio, so the girls are getting adjusted to their new rooms, which are very nice.  Today her teacher called us in the room to watch the tappers perform their routine . . . this was a first!!  So glad I had my phone in my back pocket!  I think Allyson was in shock with us in there and could not focus, although I'm really not sure how much more she would have done with us out of the room either.  At least now I have it on video and we can practice at home!!

After ballet and tap we went to Bullritos to eat.  If you've never eaten there before, you get a bag and fill out your order.  Jase likes to write his name and fill in some of the items he wants: Chips and Queso, small drink, etc.  Well today after I paid I got my receipt and looked at it.  Notice anything that should not be there?

If you guessed COOKIE, then you're right!  I asked the lady "did we mark cookie on one of our bags?" She looked at the bags and sure enough on Jase's bag, Cookie was marked!! I later asked him if he marked Cookie and he said yes, that he wanted one!!  I just had to laugh.  I told him that he cannot just mark Cookie, we pay extra for that!!  I got a reader on my hands!!

The kids are growing like weeds, especially little Finn!  I weighed him tonight and he is 14.80 lbs!  Hard to believe it!!  I weighed Ally too and she was 29.2 lbs and Jase is right at 50 lbs!  I cannot believe Jase is 50 lbs!!  Crazy!  He was just shy of 40 lbs at 4 years old.

We are into week 3 of big girl panties.  All and all she is doing great.  Only 1 potty accident in the last week.  Poop now is a different story.  She finally pooped in the potty yesterday . . . let me tell you BIG DEAL!! We were doing a Potty Sticker Poster for every time she pottied or pooped, she got a sticker, and then every time she landed on a 5 or 10 she got a prize.  Well, she was going so much in the potty, most days she was eligible for 2 prizes.  And they are small prizes I had bought a while back: Princess stickers and pencils, etc.  We have now moved on to every time she poops in the potty she gets a prize.  I stocked up on some cute things at Dollar Tree last week.  She normally poops everyday, but since I have been on her about pooping in the potty, some days she will not go.  When she pooped in the potty yesterday I told her that I was so proud of her and she says "it's still gross!"  I told her that we all do it, but it is better if we go in the potty!  I sang the Potty Song from the Elmo Potty Time DVD we have; it talks about everybody using the potty. {My kids respond better to music!}  So glad we are making a turn in the right direction with this!

Here's a picture of my baby boy today.  We were sitting in the chair together and I had the back door open because it felt great outside.  The light was hitting his eyes just right and they looked so blue; I had to take a pic!!

Minnie Mouse Dancer

Today the girls were able to dress up in their costume for class!  What little girl does not LOVE to dress up?!?!  She was originally going as Tinker Bell.  We got the costume out of the closet, brought it downstairs, got her all pumped about it, then . . . I checked the tag and it said size 7/8!!  YIKES, that will not work!  Plan B in action and she picked Minnie Mouse!!  So thankful her heart was not set on being Tinker Bell.  She looked too cute this morning!

If I'm completely honest last week was not good at all during tap class.  I heard her teacher say her name several times and she is not mean at all, but Ally either has not a clue what is going on or has trouble following along.  Not sure.  I had pretty much made up my mind that we would go this week to tap and then I would only sign her up for ballet in November and drop tap.  Can I tell you that today she did better in class!! YAY!!  The first part of the class she was following along and the second part she kind of glazed over.  Super glad for the improvement though.  Her teacher said that since they do not have class this next week that she would be working on the class structure and changing it up to help keep their attention a little longer.  So glad I did not write tap off!!

Ballet and Tap

Wednesday Allyson had her first ballet and tap class!! I've been wanting to sign her up, but just had a little on my plate. ;)

I have been praying that she would not be scared to go in the class. She is very timid with new places and people. The Lord heard my prayers because when it was her time, she walked on in!! I could see her on the tv monitor and it looked like she was having a good time and was following instructions. They stretched and galloped across the room many times. She was very excited coming out of the room when it was over. So proud if my big girl!!

Next, we changed her shoes and got her ready for tap. This class was smaller, only 4 girls, same teacher. This classes seemed a little further along than the ballet class. I'm not sure if Ally was overwhelmed or just tired, but she did not do many of the steps. When she came out of the room she was happy, maybe because she just got a stamp on her hand! Ha!

I'm glad there were no tears and she listened to her teacher. We are excited about next week!