Dancing Queen

Lilly Grace started her first ever dance class last weekend, and since I have had absolutely nothing interesting going on this week, I thought I would blog about it. I have to say I was a bit nervous about the process of actually getting her ready and on board with the whole dance class thing. She loves to dance...but only on her terms. The first obstacle was the outfit. As you have probably ascertained, LG is very peculiar about clothes and shoes, so I was fully expecting a meltdown, resulting in the forfeiture of my dance class deposit and a child who does no extra-curricular activities because she refuses to wear the uniform. Needless to say, it wasn't that bad. I tried not to make a big deal out of it...I just casually began to put on the tights (which she stared at which a very strange look on her face), then the purple leotard, and finally the skirt. As I started to put on the ballet shoes, I could feel the mood in the air begin to change, so I shifted into bribery mode (which does not happen often in my house). I asked her if she wanted to go to the grocery store with me, which I knew she would immediately respond to with a resounding "YES, Mommy, and I promise to stay in the buggy!" I told her we just had to make one stop on the way to the store, omitting the fact that the one stop was a 45 minute dance class in a place she had never been before. Then something happened...she began to realize that something was fishy, so she decided to milk the situation for all it might possibly be worth. She said, " I REALLY want to go to Chuck E Cheese, too, Mommy." How do kids know the precise time to ask for what they want and actually GET IT???? So, of course, I told her we might go tomorrow if she was good while we were out "running errands" (A.K.A. going to dance class).

Anyway, we got there and she was pretty cool with it. She didn't jump right in and chaise (I have no idea how to spell that word) immediately, but we got through the class with no major catastrophes. I, on the other hand, realized quickly how out of shape I am when I got winded after 30 minutes of the organized-chaos they call the Jump, Jiggle, and Jive class...there was some jump, a lot of jiggle, and zero jive on my part. Lilly Grace was happy to get to the store and spend two hours at Chuck E Cheese as a reward, and I was satisfied to see her in the too-cute leotard and tights. I just can't wait until Mike has to take her when I have class...he'll look cute in the circle with all the mothers and two-year-old girls waving scarves and "picking buttercups." (hehe)

On a side note, you'll notice her embarrassment at being photographed in unknown attire...in the bottom picture she is hiding behind her Easter Basket, which she now carries around the house with her in case she finds an egg.