Dancing Princess!

This past weekend was my 3 year old daughter's first dance recital!  Wow, what an emotional roller coaster, for mommy that is! 

Mackenzie did great!  I was a little worried the week prior, at the rehearsal, when her class got up on stage and just stood there!  They were all wondering what was going on.  After that experience we started practicing a lot at home!  All the grandparents were coming up and we could not have them see her just stand there!  Although her costume is adorable we needed a performance. If anything, mommy was looking forward to it and wanted to make her recital a special day!

The big day came quickly, and we were prepared!  The night before and morning of the show we practiced about fifty times.  I figured her dance being fresh in her mind was going to be the best recipe for success.  We got all dolled up and dressed.  We took lots of great pictures outside with the flowers in the back ground.

We got to the school extra early to get good seats and take Mackenzie back stage.  I was so proud of her when I took her to the back.  Other little girls were having separation anxiety, and crying on their mom's leg!  Not my Mackenzie!  She went right to her seat, and said "I will do great mommy!"  I told her I would come back right to that very spot afterwards to pick her up!  She gave me a thumbs up and went back to her friends.  I had to hold back my tears already!  I wanted her to stay strong and I wouldn't have been able to explain why I was crying!

At that moment, I was so proud, but also very sad to know that the past 3 1/2 years have gone way too fast.  She was already strong enough to do things on her own!

I went and took my seat for the show to begin!  Her class was about eleven songs or so into the show.  It was so cute when they came out on the stage.  They are the youngest class so the entire crowd made and "awwwwe" noise when the music started.  I could tell that Mackenzie was looking for me, and I was seating on an end seat only a few rows back.  Her eyes met mine and she had the biggest smile and my tears were flowing!

The class started off strong and did their toe steps and marching!  I was glad that we had practiced so much because Mackenzie looked at me the entire song and I gave her little motions of what was coming up next.  Good thing I paid attention during all that practicing!  She was able to do all of it, and hit a great pose at the end!  Everyone clapped and cheered.  Boy, did she have the biggest smile on her face!  As she left the stage she gave me a few waves as well!

She did get to come out for the finale as well!  She really enjoyed dancing with all the big girls.  She even got a trophy at the end.  I think for her that was by far the best part of the day!  She was so excited to show us the trophy once we picked her up back stage.

She was one lucky girl afterwards!  She got thirty-eight roses and a princess balloon!  She couldn't even carry all the flowers!

We went to a nice late lunch with all her biggest fans!  All around it was a great day and one I am sure we both will remember for a long time to come.

I do have to say a special thanks to my mom!  Thanks not only for taking me to my dance classes all those years, but also for making them so special for me each and every year!  I know how much work it is to get everything ready and keep track of everything during the craziness of the show.  I also now understand why you were always so emotional!  It is exhausting but so worth it to see that smile on her face!