Dance Recital Weekend!

This weekend marks the end of Ally's first year of ballet. It is clear to Becky and I that ballet will be a part of our lives for at least the next couple of years if not longer. Grandma Debbie came to visit and see the show.

Walking in to the building for the dress rehearsal.

Grandma and Mama

Ally dressed in her costume. It was beautiful.

She was beautiful.

Waiting with her class for their turn to practice.

They were all excited to see girls dressed in other costumes.

Getting last minute instruction from their teacher Miss Laura.

Lined up outside the stage.

Out for ice cream afterwards!

Watching TV on the couch with Grandma Debbie and Cloey. Turns out Cloey loves Debbie too!

Sunday morning we went to church then home for lunch and off to the recital! Ally posed for me in the driveway.

Family pictures.

 

The dance company forbids photographs or video during the performance. We did buy a picture package and video, but we won't get those for a few weeks.

Ally was determined to put on her own makeup, she did a fantastic job and it was adorable to watch her.

She did a fantastic job her performance!

Afterwards she got some flowers from us.

Ally joined us in the audience for Act 2. She loved watched the advanced classes and pointe dances.

In the car on the way home Ally said she wanted to dance long enough to learn to dance in pointe shoes. 

This evening on the porch playing Trouble.

It's been a great weekend.

School Fun

It is finally park weather. One day recently Ally asked to stop at the park on the way home from school. With gymnastics 3 days a week and swimming on a 4th we usually only walk home 1 day a week this year. It was a beautiful Spring day so of course I said yes.

She ran to the bar, I sat on a bench a ways a away from her and I kept hearing a woman gasp in excitement and awe. I looked, and Ally was doing her gymnastics bar routine on the playground bar! I had to go take a few pictures. I know her eyes are closed in the one below, but the light was better and one handed!

Ally can’t reach the bar from the ground, and its almost too high for her to jump up and on it. But she finds ways. We just can’t keep her still any more – she is swinging or cartwheeling or hand-standing or leaping.

There was a pot luck dinner at her school on night, and above she is sitting eating with her friends Colette (left) and Willow (right). Below Ally is hanging out on the climbing structure with Maya.

Sleeping with the animals

When Becky was away I let Ally sleep with me in our bed and of course Cloey slept with us too.

This dog is a snuggler – she loves to curl up right_against you

Can you spot Cloey amongst the “special things” (otherwise known as Ally’s stuffed animals) in the picture above?

In the morning I would get up with Cloey to take her outside, and Nali would climb up in bed and snuggle with sleeping Ally.

But Cloey’s favorite spot to sleep is actually on your shoulder while you lie on the couch. Above – I think Becky got up early with Cloey and I found them that way when I woke up.

Watching TV with a dog wrapped around my head is not my idea of fun. But Ally thinks its awesome.

At least every other day Ally still says “I cant believe we have a dog”. Sometimes I’m not sure who is luckier her – the dog or us. She is a pretty great dog, but having a dog small enough to lay on your 8 year old daughter while she plays leapster makes us pretty luck too.

Gymnastics Show

Tonight was Ally's annual gymnastics show. She was not nervous at all and in fact was kind of excited that she will be on team next year and not have to do it again.

Then she saw the team routine and is now even more excited for this next phase of her gymnastics!

In her warm up suit, competition leotard on underneath, hair scrunchie and new gym bag. 

Walking in with her class.

Front handstand success!

Her medal

Happy girl.

Afterwards we offered to go out to dinner to do something special, but in typical Ally fashion she declined eating. After a few frustrating minutes of talking about what we could do to celebrate. Ally apologized for not being able to come up with something. Poor kid.

Not really poor kid, as we ended up going to see Pitch Perfect2. Ally was thrilled. 

And on a Wednesday night we had the theater almost to ourselves! There were two other people there and that's it.

The movie was fun. Much of it was over Ally's 8 year old head, but she loved the music and we had a fun time.

 

5th tooth lost!!!!

Ally lost her 5th tooth!!!

It had been loose for a while but nothing major. But then after school she showed me how loose it was and I was stunned. She went to gymnastics practice and came home saying it was ouchy and bleeding.

Wiggling it in front of the bathroom mirror!

See how loose.

Cloey was in the bathroom with Ally and mama offering moral support.

But it would not come out.

Until 12:00AM. It came out and she handed it to me very calmly.

We are all sleeping in one room for a few nights because it's so hot, 80+ degrees in our house. We get air conditioning installed next week so we only put one window unit in. 

Literally at 12am she says "here mommy, my tooth" Becky and I were stunned! I took the tooth put it in her special tooth fairy pillow. And we all went back to sleep. Becky said the fairy would come tomorrow night.

One less tooth!