Our Dancing Sensation

Miss Clare is a dancing sensation!   Soon after Laurel was born, Jonathan and I decided to enroll Clare in a dance class with one of her best buds, Ashlan.  Ashlan's mom, Marisa, found a great mommy-and-me class through a fantastic company called Tippi Toes that would accept kids as young as 18 months (Ashlan is about 4 months younger than Clare).  Tippi Toes, and more importantly, Miss Laura, the instructor, was the perfect fit for our little girl.  Clare was still getting used to being a big sister, but loved the fact that once a week on Friday, she would get to go be the star of her own show.  Miss Laura understood (and still understands) the challenge of being a 100% hands on mommy during a mommy-and-me class when you've got another little one demanding your attention and has never discussed my lack of hands-on time with Clare as I chase Laurel around (luckily there are a couple other youngsters with little siblings who are about the same age as Laurel, so I'm not the only dead beat-mom there).  Clare absolutely loves her time in dance and I am happy she's had it.

Clare at her very 1st class

This is Clare and her friends last June

In January, Miss Laura asked us moms how we felt about doing a recital.  We were all on board for one.  So, in February, Miss Laura introduced the girls to the first of the three dances that they would perform during the May recital (see video below).  The girls (all 3 years old and younger) had absolutely no idea what a recital was and just danced their little hearts out as they always do.  Yesterday, after months of "practicing", the girls were able to show off their skills to all who desired to watch at their very first dance recital.

Let me tell you, this family celebrated our prima ballerina from sun up to sun down.  We invited grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends.  Cupcakes were baked, lunch was served, and lots of play time with cousins was ordered up (to make sure our little dancer was warmed up for her big recital).  Grammy brought two bouquets of flowers, both which are now in vases in Clare's room, Oma and Grampy brought a little ballerina bag filled with goodies, and Uncle Jake, Aunt Stephanie and cousin Abigail presented our dancer with some beautiful roses at the end of her show. 

  

This kid has good parents.  He helped clean up after a day of playing. 

Donovan is a good sport.  Clare made him a prince with a tiara and he just went with it.

Clare did an amazing job.  She and her friends danced their 3 songs with smiles on their faces.  It wasn't until all the dancers (there were about 5 classes total) had to go back to the stage to sing their final routine together, that Clare became a tad confused when she couldn't determine where exactly her line was with all the extra dancers around.  The sudden onslaught of new and more advanced dancers left my girl feeling overwhelmed and she proceeded to cry through the entire final number.  May I just say that she was still quite the little star, in my opinion (ha!).

The meltdown... 

Uncle Jake, Aunt Steph, and Abigail's flower delivery saved the day

Showing us their moves after the recital

Needless to say, I can't wait for her next recital.  This was about the cutest thing ever and the only good thing about the fact that Laurel will be ONE this Thursday is that we are only 6 months away from her Tippi Toes debut.

Future Dancer...