Our first dance recital

An evening to myself finally so I am trying to utilize the art of blogging to capture such a momentous day. Annika had her first stage performance today and she was a bumblebee in her pre ballet class. I was tear-filled twice as I got her ready and combed her hair into a slicked back bun. However once she took the stage I was just in awe of her. Beautiful, confident, beaming, moving with elegance. This little girl was mine? Somehow I thought my daughter would be the one who refused to go on stage. Or worse the one people told horror stories about how she peed on stage from just fear. How did I get so lucky? I would be happy if she was just following along most of the time never expecting my kid to have a shot as a heroine. It's crazy to me that she is so talented. Perhaps this is really a reflection of me thinking I am not that talented so can she be bursting with skill? She can sing and even writes her own melodic songs with rhyming words that make sense. I am not saying she is avril igneous or anything but I have no idea how to keep her head focused on learning life skills like math, science, and reading but also encouraging the arts. I had very little arts exposure so how do you prioritize it? Can it simply be a family hobby? My own interest in anything artistic was squelched away and not part of myself that was shared, even with family or friends. The only full-on dancing I have ever done is my room by myself when my parents, roommate, husband, etc. are not around. My passion for design and fashion has always literally been hidden In my closet with taped up magazine photo shoots or the layering of images. I still don't have any version of an iPod with a music playlist of songs. I know what I love but never hold my own preferences high enough to justify the effort. The concept of having both creative, artistic expression and also being a gifted and driven student are strewn throughout tv and successful stories however in my family it has always been an either or situation. I hope Annika's life can be more like Gilmore girls and less like grays anatomy.


I told her she was a rock star this morning and she said "no I am not - I don't like to live on a stage". So wise already. I just pray that she keeps this level head 12 years from now.

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