Dance Recital 2011

Dance recital was quite fun and interesting for us this year.  Maddie had two dances to perform.  She was all dolled up in this cute little Christmas dress - she was super excited but was a little bothered by the fact that the back of the costume was "holey" and wanted to wear a sweater over it.  Of course the morning of the recital, her white cardigan or a white undershirt couldn't be found!  Blame that one on her unprepared mom. :)
She of course chose a bright purple sweater to wear with the costume - and once Maddie makes up her mind about something, it's pretty much set, unless you reason with her and use your best persuasive skills.

We got to the recital and she refused to go up the stage without her bright purple sweater on.  I finally rationalized and told her that it was only for a minute and she can get that sweater back on right after the dance.  In my mind I felt a little two-faced teaching my girls modesty and then asking her to remove the sweater for a minute!  I could actually hear Maddie's voice in my head saying "Really, Mom?" - something she always says whenever I do something ridiculous in her mind's eye (like me drinking from the side of a sippy cup).  I hoped that when her teacher took her sweater off she would be fine!  But...I saw Maddie throw on this mad face, mouth in a pout... and then she proceeded to stand still throughout the entire song!

This was how she looked the entire time.  Funny Maddie.

After the song, she came running to me and asked if I could get her favorite cupcake (I had told her we would go get cupcakes if she danced at the recital).  Ha!  I told her (in a matter-of-fact way) that the cupcakes were only if she danced.  She says grudgingly, "okay, fine."  And she did dance to the Nutcracker tune, still with a little pouty mouth (of course) but she did it and it was super cute.

I did video mostly during the second song and this was one of the two stills I got of her dancing.

As promised we went to her favorite place - the cupcake shop after.  I love this little girl!