Dance Recital

Here we are doing Ella's curlers for her BIG SHOW! Needless to say I had no idea what I was doing so I had to get some help. We did everything we could to make this a very special occasion. She did not complain at all and even slept the whole night with these crazy things in her hair. I was a bit surprised when I took them out the next morning and her hair was only about an inch long - it looked like she still had invisible curlers in, so I decided to pull it up into a ponytail - which ended up looking so cute!

Of course you know mommy could not let this day pass without a photo shoot!! Isn't she SO cute!

And then of course it was time for her "BIG SHOW". We had been talking this up for a long time now. Like I said she spent a lot of time watching Collin play hockey this winter and we really wanted to make this a very special day for her. She was so excited!! At her dress rehearsal for her recital she was SO cute. She did awesome at the rehearsal. She was pretty much front and center and she knew most of the dance without even looking to the teacher for help. She was so cute, and so proud. I think she really had fun! I just hoped she would do as good at the recital - I was so afraid the curtain would go up and she would look out and see all those people and freak out. She did not. She did absolutely awesome. She did both her dances right through - start to finish, without hesitation. You could tell without a doubt she was having the time of her life. When she does her dances she is very intentional with each movement and makes sure to do it just right! We are so proud of what a good job she did and how brave she was to get in front of all those people. She had quite a crowd just watching her. Mom, dad, Collin, one grandpa, two grandmas, and two of mommy's friends (Michelle and Melissa) were all there to cheer her on. I won't lie, I have spent the last 9 months thinking, "If she never wants to do this again, that would be okay with me....but in just 3 minutes my heart melted and I was sold."

MOMMY AND DADDY WITH OUR LITTLE PRINCESS BEFORE THE SHOW.

THIS IS ELLA'S TAP DANCE "YES I CAN". WHEN I DROPPED HER OFF BACKSTAGE SHE WAS WEARING HER LEOTARD, TUTU, AND SHOES....WHEN I NEXT SAW HER OUT ON STAGE THEY HAD ADDED A SKIRT ON TOP OF HER TUTU AND THE MOST RIDICULOUS BOW IN HER HAIR!! THIS IS WITHOUT A DOUBT ELLA'S FAVORITE DANCE - SHE COULD FOR SURE DO IT IN HER SLEEP. I CAN'T DECIDE IF SHE LOOKS SO LITTLE OUT THERE, OR SO BIG AND GROWN UP....

HER BALLET DANCE WAS "BABY BALLERINAS". IT WAS ADORABLE! AGAIN SHE IS VERY INTENTIONAL WITH ALL HER MOVES AND DOES SUCH A GREAT JOB OF GOING SLOW AND AT LEAST TRYING TO BE GRACEFUL.

ELLA AND HER FRIEND KATE DEMENY.

HERE IS SOME VIDEO FROM ELLA'S DRESS REHEARSAL. WE WERE NOT SUPPOSE TO BE VIDEO TAPING, SO I HAD TO PRETEND AND USE MY CAMERA - WHICH CLEARLY DOES NOT TAKE THE BEST VIDEO QUALITY, BUT YOU CAN AT LEAST GET THE IDEA...HOPEFULLY THE PROFESSIONAL ONE WILL TURN OUT GOOD.