Our Dance Steps to Nowhere

Step 1: Start rolling the hair.

We decided after our very long, not very curly results from using the curling iron, that we'd have her sleep in sponge rollers. She wasn't happy about it at first, but she managed to sleep through the night (without coming to get in my bed!).

Step 2: Pout about having rollers in your hair.

Step 3: Dance along with Barbie: Swan Lake at 11pm when Mom is finished rolling your hair.

Step 4: Go to recital morning rehearsal with rollers in your hair and pose with your best friend...since she has rollers, too!

Step 5: Laugh at your little brother who's holding a biscuit and tripping over his bottom lip. (I'm not sure that we've ever seen that kid sad when there's food in his hands!)

Step 6: Pose with your best friend again so you can be 'Shirley Temples' together.

Step 7: Loan out your curlers. This little friend needed to roll her hair. We just happened to be done with our rollers...and have a comb...and have some hairspray. After wearing the rollers for about four hours, her hair was much, much curlier than Ella's...it really pays to have some natural bend to your hair, huh?

Step 8: Convince Mom that you must go to the mall after lunch and before recital to buy shoes for your Build-A-Bear. And because Mom just wants the princess to have a wonderful, girly, happy day...she agrees to do this. And she's so glad that you take a cat nap on the way there.

Step 9: Ride the merry-go-round at the mall. Why? Because we have time and Mom does not want to say 'No' today.

Step 10: Have a special ($2.00) cookie. Same rule from Step 9 applies.

Step 11: Get dressed for your first dance. Complete with curls and makeup! Having adorable friends to pose with is a bonus!

Step 12: Show Mom how you can twirl. So cute!

Step 13: Give Mom the 'no-more-pictures-or-my-eyes-will-start-to-twitch' look.

Seriously, she waved her hands like celebrities do when they're avoiding the papparazi.

Step 14: Get changed for your 2nd number. Thank goodness all we had to do was dump the hat, add a ribbon and change shoes. Whew!

Step 15: Share snacks with your awesome friends before you get to do your next dance.

Step 16: This is where things went wrong.

Yes, wrong. No. Not a meltdown. Ella had a wonderful day with only one, maybe two little wimpy moments that she was talked out of fairly easily.

Our girls had happy little tummies since we thought to bring a few snacks.

They were eagerly awaiting their turn to dance again when...

The Lights Went Out.

That's right. Pitch black.

We waited around with dozens of little dancers for over an hour before the decision was made to reschedule.

This is where I'm really grateful that I have a four-year old. As far as she's concerned, she has done her recital. She knew she was supposed to dance again...for a little while...but once we were away from the event, it was outta sight, outta mind.

We've heard that the recital has been rescheduled for this Thursday night.

We will not be there.

We can't be there.

She did not get to perform her second dance...and it was the cutest dance with the girls as 'Belle' and their teachers as 'The Beast'. Simply precious.

Mommy is heartbroken.

Ella is blissfully unaware.

Mommy is thankful.

And that, my friends, is how five months of dance classes ends.