"bal-la-lay"

(which is how Ladybug pronounces "ballet")

Today was ballet day and it was wonderful!  The girls had a dress rehearsal yesterday so we got to dress up in costumes, including hair and a touch of make up before reporting to the auditorium.  Since there are so many classes performing, they were divided into two performances.  (The first half of the show is the younger classes.  After intermission, the older classes perform the Nutcracker.)  Ladybug was scheduled in the matinee and Butterfly was scheduled in the evening.  But for the dress rehearsal, they practiced out of order, scheduling the youngest classes first so they could go home as soon as they were done.  So we arrived and joined the general noise as the girls got their shoes on and found their teachers.  Then I got to stand at the front of the stage and video record each of them as they rehearsed their dances.

Ladybug danced to "Suzy Snowflake", wearing a white leotard and tutu with silver embellishments.  It was delicate and traditional and sweet.  She was charming and sweet and managed about half the dance, mostly watching the girl next to her.

Butterfly danced to "Snowflake Serenade", the beautiful music was well matched with sweet choreography and my little girl was so graceful and sincere and sweet that it really was very moving.  She performed so well, knowing all the right steps and even performed with near perfect timing.  I can't believe how good she is and how much she obviously loves it.  Her costume is white and blueish teal with a full tutu and a tulle ruffle around the neck and a belt with a sparkly buckle embellishment.

Today was a busy day.  Lovely had a rough night so this morning felt slow and sluggish and we had breakfast and readied for the day.  My brother and his family arrived to play and we all went to the gingerbread festival.  We wandered around to look at the different displays and admired the creativity and effort.  The kids each got to decorate (and promptly devour) their own gingerbread cookie and then we had a quick lunch.

I took Ladybug home to get ready for her ballet performance while Daddy kept Butterfly and Lovely.  They led my brother and his family into the mountains to cut a Christmas tree.  Sound like they had a lot of fun, got a great tree and got very wet playing in the snow.  Meanwhile, Ladybug and I went home.  Grammy had come up the night before to help us start packing and attend recitals so she helped us get ready and we went over to the auditorium.  We were joined there by grandma (Daddy and Grandpa came to the dress rehearsal so they could see both girls perform.  Then Daddy could keep Lovely during the actual performances.)  We managed to get great seats and watched my sweet little snowflake.  Afterwards, we met her in the hall, gave her a rose (she admired it for a moment but it was forgotten rather quickly) and took some pictures.  We went home for some cuddling, hot chocolate with our cousins and naptime.

During naptime, Husband and I did more house hunting.  We are slowly inching closer to a decision.  In the meantime, we've officially began packing and plan to move in two weeks.

Soon I helped Butterfly get ready for her performance.  She coached me on doing her hair as instructed by her teacher ("a slick back bun with lots and lots of gel and lots and lots of spray hair", which I think meant "hair spray").  She delighted over getting to wear a little makeup and soon she was settled in with her class and Grammy, Grandma and I were settled into our seats.  She performed in the first number of the evening show, as sweet and as graceful as ever.  At intermission, I found her, gave her a rose, took pictures and then took her back to our seats so we could stay and watch the Nutcracker.  She sat on my lap, enthralled by it all.  She talked almost nonstop, whispering about the dancing, costumes and music.  She was so excited and seemed to really love it.

Our first ballet performance, what a wonderful day.