Dance Recital

I love dancing!  I started dancing at 8 years old.  I was on the drill team in Middle School and in High School, and wishing I had continued to dance through college as well, but I didn't, sadly.   I love everything about dancing.  So, you can imagine my excitement when I had had not one but TWO girls!!!  Dance classes here we come!!!

Rylee started dancing when she was 3 years old, when we lived in Dallas.  When we moved to Kansas, it took a back seat because she wanted to try soccer.  She did that for 1 1/2, bit her tongue REALLY bad during a game and decided she didn't want to play soccer again. 

Well, finally in 2nd grade we tried dancing again.  I signed Rylee up for a Jazz class and a Ballet class.  The first couple months we great, then I would slowly notice that Rylee had a hard time wanting to go to her dance classes. 

Every time I asked her to get her leotard on for class, she would complain.  When we went to drop her off, she would get sad and say that she didn't want to leave me.  During parent watch weeks, she never looked like she was truly having fun.   I was hoping that she would soon get more excited once her recital came around.  Not so.  Watching her up on stage broke my heart.  Then I realized something.......she was doing this for me!!!  OH NO!!!!  I did NOT want to be one of those moms!!  I had talked up dancing so much and was so excited to have a daughter who would have a love for dance just like I did, but it wasn't going to come from Rylee. 

And that's okay.  She not exactly like me.  She is Rylee.  Rylee needs to do things that SHE enjoys.  So we sat down and had a little heart to heart after her recital.  We have retired leotard and tights for the time being, and that is just fine with me.  I want her to be happy and that's what matters.

BUT I do need to post how freaking adorable she was in her costumes!!!!

Here she is doing her Jazz routine to "Walking On Sunshine"

I LOVE ballet!!  Here is Rylee doing her ballet routine to the Harry Potter theme song:

Here is our cutie after her recital.  I'm sure she is very relieved that it is over with.

And her cheering section.....Please excuse Sophie's hair.  We had a hard time sitting still for 2 hours.....understandable.