Dance Recital

Costume fitting, dress rehearsal, makeup, hair and photos, oh my! It seems like Liesel and Ireland have steadily been attending dance class when everything shifted into high gear and suddenly we were scrambling for the big recital. Although Brent wasn't able to attend the actual recital, he caught the studio dress rehearsal. 

With their teacher Karly Davis

Liesel's hair is still a tad short for a high bun. However, the ends stayed in nicely if I braided up the back. Her routine was a tap number to Elvis' Teddy Bear

Ireland's routine was a ballet number to Josh Groban's Believe in Your Heart (from the movie Polar Express). 

This is a more typical picture of Ireland. I have no idea what it takes to get her to look at the camera... there's always something else that captures her attention. 

My girls. They absolutely loved wearing makeup. I accidentally swiped a brush at Ireland's eyeball and she immediately said, "It's okay! I can take it! Keep going!!!" 

Just before the recital began, I sat in the theater and my eyes unexpectedly welled up with tears. Brent was against the idea of putting the girls in dance this year, gently reminding me that I had enough on my plate. When I signed them up, I had no idea I'd be pregnant or that the weather would be such a challenge. But I doggedly determined that my girls will be physically active and socially cultured. All those Monday nights of heading out in the freezing dark and chasing babies came back to me.

Official studio portrait.

 Even before they touched foot on stage, I was crazy proud of my girls. I fell for the stage mom thing hook, line and sinker. The funny thing is that neither of them is particularly good at dance! But Liesel and Ireland learned classroom dynamics, dance terms and made loads of friends. Seeing them in their leotards and tights giggling with the other dance girls always made me smile. Whitney told me she still benefits from performing on stage. I'm SO glad we did it!

I love how the tights wrinkle around her knees and ankles because she's so small!

The class mom for Ireland's group told me she had some stage fright just before they went on, bursting into tears. I never would have known because that seemed to melt away when it was time to perform. She happily skipped on stage with her class and did her little dance. Midway through, she was tapping her foot when she stopped watching her teacher and looked at the audience. While the rest of her class moved on, she just kept tapping her foot as she looked at all the people. It was hilarious. Afterwards, I asked Ireland how it felt to dance in front of so many people. "I was a ROCK STAR!" she exclaimed.

My parents had me pick up these lovely bouquets for the girls. At home, they each had two pink roses from me and their dad. Liesel asked me why she was getting flowers and I told her it was tradition, pointing out all the other parents holding flowers for their girls. She insisted, "But WHY?!?!" I don't know, it's tradition! She was also thrown by the "break a leg!" comments. It's bad luck to wish good luck so you tell them to break a leg instead. "What if they actually break a leg? Wouldn't you feel bad for saying that?" She has a point.

 Really, I was crazy proud of those two! I could not stop grinning.

Grandma and Grandpa Wuehler treated us all to ice cream at Culvers. I'm so very happy they were able to come and that they genuinely enjoyed themselves. These girls are spoiled for love in this family!

As I drove home my heart was so full I practically floated. I am a perfectionist and the night was absolutely perfect. The next morning the girls had school and they were none too thrilled when I woke them up. Both of them had fallen asleep in the car so I wasn't able to take off their makeup. As adorable as they look all dolled up in their costumes, this is actually my favorite photo. It makes me laugh every time I see it!