L is in two dance classes this year: one ballet and one for her Sparkles team, which is a jazz class. And for the winter performances this year, they happened to be on the same day. Which means we kicked off the day at Swiss Christmas to watch the Sparkles. The dance studio was first on the day's entertainment, her class being a few numbers in. So I helped dress her up, took pictures of her and her teammates and waited anxiously, video camera in hand. Their adorable routine started with them popping out of a bathtub, light and fun and expressive. She grinned and giggled and it was so cute.
As soon as she was done, we raced over to the other side of town where the studio's ballet classes would be preforming three shows of the Nutcracker. The pre-show entertainment was provided by the preschool classes who sang carols in the lobby. A was in the first show of the day, dressed as an adorable green and red elf. Her wonderful music teacher was by herself for some reason but managed beautifully, juggling leading and playing the piano. The kids were timid and shy, only half of them brave enough to sing even a few words. By A, knew most of them and always chimed in loudly for at least the last word of each phrase. I love her smile, she lights up the whole room.
From there, we went to the Gingerbread Festival. With Dad, Grammy, Grandma and Grandpa there, we got to team up one-on-one with the kids as they wandered the intricately decorated houses, the beautiful trees and fun booths. The girls dashed from one table to the next, proclaiming each their very favorite.
L's ballet class preformed in the second show of the Nutcracker as the Snow Angels in the second act. I hadn't gotten to see this dance yet and was thoroughly impressed. She's naturally gracefully and sweet, with perfectly pointed toes, a sincere demeanor and a surprisingly good sense of timing. She was elated with the rose we gave her, proudly displaying it in a vase that she smelled and had to touch until it was badly wilted.
They each also had a school Christmas performance. And with much regret, I admit that I mixed up my dates and forgot A's program! By the time I realized it and arrived, the program was over and everyone had already left with their parents. She was the last student, helping the teachers clean up and quick to sadly rebuke me for missing her party. Luckily, the next day when I dropped her off at preschool, her teacher said she would have A join another class for their singing and party so that I could at least come hear her sing again.
But first, I had to hurry over to L's school where I had signed up to help in the class room. They played a few games and I brought sugar cookie trees for them to decorate. After their party, we went to the cafetorium for the school sing a long and I got to watch her sing with her class. They sang a song in both Spanish and English, followed by Auld Lang Syng. E accompanied me through it all. She hid by my legs as I prepared plates of cookies, watched wide-eyed as they played games and finally warmed up enough to sit with some of the students and eat a ridiculous amount of frosting meant for decorating. During the singing, she crawled and climbed all over me during the brief interludes but attentively listened to the songs.
As soon as L's class was finished, E and I raced back to A's school, arriving just in time to find that her whole class had joined the other class, deciding to repeat the performance and party. I got to video it for Daddy, everything from her enthusiastic singing and ringing bells during Jingle Bells to pretending to sleep during the 12 Days of Christmas. Santa came to visit and each student got to sit on his lap for a photo and receive a candy cane. She asked Santa for a Twilight Sparkle pony and an extra candy cane for her sister. E was invited to sit on her lap as well but she burst into tears and hid under my chair.
Maybe next year.
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