Twinkle Toes

I'm just now getting around to making a post about LilliAnn's very first dance recital. Oh dance recitals...how I just can't get enough of them (remind me that I said this in 10 years). I was so excited about LilliAnn's first time on stage that I could hardly stand it. I had butterflies in my stomach for three days before the recital because I was so nervous about how she was going to perform, and because I was worried that I would have to get out on stage with her (secretly I think I wanted to go on stage...I still love the spotlight!). I knew that at only 13 months old she probably would't do many of the moves to her "Wheels on the Bus" dance (even though we'd been practicing the "babies on the bus go waaa, waaa, waaaaa," for months), but I at least wanted her to stand on the stage without crying and running off. I knew she would do the part at the end where she does a little flip. That was her favorite part. We would have to hide the mat at the studio because if she saw it at the beginning of class she wouldn't want to do anything else.

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All ready for the big group picture in her "Time of My Life" recital shirt!

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After the two days of rehearsal I was convinced that LilliAnn just wasn't going to stand on the stage without me, and that in order for Darana to be able to help the other girls and not worry about Lil, I was going to have to go on stage with her. I prayed and prayed the entire day of recital that LilliAnn would would have confidence and that her little outgoing personality would shine in the spotlight. I put on my recital t-shirt and black leggings, grabbed the can of spray glitter and pink sequin dance bag, and Lil and I headed for the Seminole High School auditorium. Walking in to the world of recital brought back so many memories of my own dance experiences up on that very same stage...the plastic tubs full of recital costumes, the sound of clogging shoes walking down the high school halls, the baskets of snacks, the sound of hair spray being sprayed...and sprayed...and sprayed, cameras flashing, sequins, feathers, pleather, tulle, bags of make-up, glue guns, bobby pins, safety pins, 5-6-7-8, tights and tutus. I love all of it. And so did LilliAnn.

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LilliAnn's second cousin, Emma Arnold - Isn't she gorgeous?

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I tried to expose LilliAnn to the stage as much as I could in the days leading up to recital. I would let her play on the stage in between rehearsals and after the group photo. She loved watching all of the older girls practice their turns and their clogging steps!

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She looks so big in this picture!

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She was a little shy at first, which is completely not like LilliAnn. I think all of the girls, costumes, and chaos was a bit overwhelming to a 13 month old! We were also having some issues with her hair bow. She doesn't have much hair still so she had to wear a headband with her bow. It was hard finding one that looked good with the costume!

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It only  took a couple of minutes of getting warmed up and then she was her normal self again!

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Sweet Aspyn - Aspyn got LilliAnn a little bear and a balloon for a good luck present!

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It was hard keeping her entertained until it was time to go on stage. She heard the music and she was ready! Luckily, LilliAnn's mommy & me class are the first dance of the show!

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She did really good the first night! I stood on the side of the stage and didn't have to go out with her. There were a couple of times where she would try and run to me off stage, but I would just send her back out. She just stood there, watching the audience for the most part, but occasionally she would do a little bounce or hand motion.

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She stood on the side of the stage...a little unsure about the whole idea of lots of people watching her. I tried to get her to stand by the other girls, but she liked to be on the side where she could make a quick getaway if she needed to!

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My dancing doll!

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Miss Darana taking LilliAnn to the mat to de her flip!

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This is her favorite part and she did so good! She ran right up and did a flip, and then tried to do another one!

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After her second flip she just laid there awhile! Silly girl!

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Mimi and Papa came the first night and brought her a pink bear and a bouquet of flowers!

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She loved the bear!

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And the flowers!

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She wasn't shy at all on night two and she was running around everywhere! I was chasing her down the halls of the high school and could barely keep up with her. 

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She wasn't shy on stage either! The second night she even danced a little, did lots of bouncing, and a few hand motions. 

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There were lots of smiles too! I wish there was a third night of recital because she might have done the "waa waa waa" or the "up and down" dance moves we had been practicing!

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She even stood a little farther from the side of the stage. You could tell she was a little braver on the second night.

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And her flip was fabulous! She ran over to the mat all by herself and did a perfect little somersault!

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And then she tried to do two more somersaults!!!

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Her daddy was so proud!

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This pretty much sums up how Reid felt about coming to the dance recital :)

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LilliAnn and her Nana Karen

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Showing Papa Kelbo how the babies on the bus go "waa waa waa!"

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Melvin and Gam-Ma Missy

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All in all, LilliAnn's first dance recital was a fabulous experience! Yes, I probably enjoyed it just as much (or more!) than she did. Sissy loved to dance and it's looking like she's probably going to enjoy the spotlight just as much as her mama did. I'm looking forward to many more years of tutus, tulle, tap shoes,  tights, twirls, and twinkle toes!!!