Little Ballerina

Saturday night was  one I have dreamed about since the moment we found out we were having a girl.
Tiny ballet slippers, sparkly costume with a the fluffiest tutu ever, a perfectly slicked back bun, all making the  sweetest, most precious little ballerina I've ever seen ready for her very first recital.

Tears started stinging my eyes pretty much instantly as we began getting ready for London's big night. As I sat on the floor and helped her slip into her tights and then her costume I breathed in the moment, knowing it was one I'll always remember. I thought about the very first time I put Dylan in his little tiny tball uniform, feeling all the same emotions of pride and excitement. It seems like just yesterday that Dylan was this tiny and now he's a big seven year old. These babies grow up so, so fast. I wish I could have a pause button on life sometimes. I would have used it Saturday night as I sat across from my beautiful baby girl and put make up on her and again when she danced across the stage... just to have an extra moment to soak it all in.

When we got to the recital, I walked London into her dressing room and put a few finishing touches on her.
Then I watched in aw as she pranced around laughing and playing with her friends. She has become such a little girl. The traces of my sweet little toddler are growing more and more faint each every day.



The girls were all laid across the floor coloring when I left her to go find a seat.
Before I left I asked if she was okay, "Are you even a little bit nervous?" I asked. She crinkled her nose and looked at my like why on earth would I be nervous? and said "NOOO!" I gave her a big kiss and hug and told her how excited I was to watch, then I left her there like a big girl and went to find Daniel and Dylan (who were  sent to save seats for us).

 

London's class had the second dance of the recital. I think I was holding my breath all the way through the first dance and until she stepped onto the stage. I just didn't know what to expect. She's only three and a half, almost a full year younger than most of her class. I thought that she might get up there and freeze when she looked out and saw how many people were sitting in the audience. When the music came on so did her smile and it never left her face, a shy little grin, then entire performance. She was a little timid but so sweet and she did almost every move correctly. I looked over at Daniel about 10 seconds into the dance and his eyes were full of tears. That was the tipping point. Tears pored down my face as I watched my beautiful little girl dance and twirl across the stage. My cheeks hurt from smiling so big when her dance was done.
She was perfection.



At intermission I was able to go get her from the dressing room. She was so excited and proud of herself. I held her hand, noticing that its still very small, and walked her to the lobby where her fan club was waiting.

Her face lit up like it was Christmas day when she saw her daddy standing there with flowers. For months now she has said "Daddy will bring me flowers after my dance recital." I think Daniel had been waiting for this moment for a long time to. His face was bursting with pride when she came around the corner. He didn't even wait for us to walk up the steps, instead he practically ran over to her.  

 

And then she looked up and saw GiGi, Rock, Grammy, and Dylan. All with flowers and gifts! 

 

 

 

What a lucky little girl! THREE beautiful bouquets and two gifts..
She could barely hold it all!
 

 

 

Of course we had to stop for 1,000 pictures...
 

 

 

 

Dylan gave her a bear wearing purple tutu.
 

 

I thought that we would leave right away, but when I asked London if she was ready she begged to watch the big girls. "Just two dances" is what she said. So we found seats in the back of the theater, making for an easy sneak out exit. Two dances passed and I said "Okay, ready to go get your snowcone (the promised post-recital treat)?" She replied with "Two more!" and this continued until almost the very end of the whole recital. She was mesmerized by the big girls. She leaned over and whispered "I'm going to dance like that when I'm all big". I squeezed her little hand and told her she surely would.

When snuck out when she was finally ready.
We stopped to take a few more quick pictures in the dressing room. I LOVE these...
 

We finished the nights festivities with a snowcone.
Perfect ending to a perfect night.