6/11/09

First Dance Class

On Sunday night at 11pm I was on Facebook. My friend around the corner - who has twin girls a year older than mine (we have three sets on our block alone, never mind how many more around the corner) posted that her girls had their first dance recital and they loved it. I had been thinking about signing the girls up for a while, but the cost and finding a good place were getting in my way.

I commented on her post and asked where she sent her girls. She told me - I went to the studio's website - saw that they had two openings for their Preschool Combo class and started signing them up online. On Sunday. At 11pm. Mr. Andy Man is sleeping. I would explain it to him in the morning. Bye bye new oven, Rose.

Of course they didn't take Discover - and I don't carry any other card in my wallet. I had to wake him up to ask him where a Visa card was - he was NONE too pleased. He had no idea I was even doing this, but all of a sudden it was THAT IMPORTANT to me. So now I am talking really fast about how the spots might fill up tomorrow and it's only a summer session so they can try it out without any long commitment, etc. etc. He thinks and tells me where the card is.

So now I KNOW they need shoes - tap and ballet, but my mom wants to buy them for the girls and Payless is having a BOGO sale! Score!

They also needed a pink leotard (Walmart, $7 each - not bad). I had pink tights already - brandy new. My cousin, Felicia, had just given my girls a HUGE bag of dress up clothes that her girls had grown out of - and in that bag were two little ballet skirts. Perfect.

Their class is after dinner, but it's only 10 minutes away so it's plenty of time for them to nap, eat, get dressed and leave. BUT - Maddie fell asleep on the bus on the ride home. So she wouldn't nap. She ended up falling asleep around 3pm, and I really wanted them up at 4:30 so we had an hour to eat and get ready and leave. She didn't want to get out of her crib. She didn't want me to change her diaper. She didn't want to eat and threw a tantrum the likes I have not seen in a long time. I breathed in as deeply as I could - because Katie was starting to get upset, too.

I fed them on couch in front of the TV. I knew they needed to eat if they were going to have to pay attention to a new teacher in a new environment and I was desperate. We managed to get out the door.

Now, as most of my friends will tell you - I am always early. I don't like rushing at all - it makes me all panicky inside and I can't calm down for a while afterwards. So I just get everywhere early and relax while I wait. My girls? Don't relax while we wait.

The waiting room is tiny tiny tiny. It is filled with (very nice) moms putting tap shoes on a bunch of wiggling little 3-year-old girls. I do the same. But now we have like 5 minutes before their class starts which is like eternity to my children. Maddie starts fussing - then she starts whining - then she starts walking back and forth to the studio door crying that she wants to go in RIGHT NOW. I am mortified, but honestly the other moms just looked at me with a "I've been there look."

Finally it's time for them to go in - and they skip off like two of the happy-go-luckiest girls in the world. Like the last five minutes never happened. I am sweating like a pig.

There is a closed circuit television in the room and we get to see the girls in class. Except the TV switches between their class and another class going on at the same time. In three-second intervals. As soon as you've focused - the screen switced again. One mom said she was about to have a seizure.

I did manage to see that they listened and paid attention and had a great time. Even the owner of the studio mentioned that rarely sees a first class of three-year-olds where no one cries and starts freaking out.

Class is about 15 minutes from ending and the waiting room starts filling up with older girls for the next class and the parents to pick up their girls from the current classes. The waiting room is like 10'x16' and it is getting packed. The girls' class ended and we can see them all lining up on the TV so we all stand up. Mayhem begins.

Kids coming out - kids going in - parents everywhere. My girls have never seemed so little. I spot Katie - call her name - and she comes right to me. Maddie? She's following the crowd about to walk out the front door. Seizure mom grabs her for me. She is my new BFF for life.

I had these big dreams of getting a picture of them outside the studio all dressed up and smiling and just oh-so-perfect. I was happy to get these ...








Honestly, I am thrilled that they loved it - because they did! They talked about it the rest of the night and Katie wanted to go back the next day.

So I guess dance class is a go!

But we won't be early anymore.

10 comments:

Audrey Lois said...

Sounds like a success to me!

Kerry said...

Aw, Rose...that was so sweet...I think it was a success too! I'm psyched that you signed them up for dance classes.

Beverlee said...

LOL!! I am sooo gald you are blogging again! You crack me up! I know your trials and tribs are real and sometimes difficult as they are occuring, but your summation after the fact is always upbeat and hilarious! ;o)

Anonymous said...

phew, I'm exhausted just reading about it!

They do look cute though!

reliv4life said...

there is NOTHING cuter than a little balarina!!! yea!!!!

Unknown said...

Cute!!!!!!

Living With Loss said...

Awww they look so sweet in their ballet outfits!

I used to take dance classes and your post brought back lots of happy memories :)

So pleased your girls enjoyed their dance class.

Anonymous said...

They look so cute in their dance outfits! So glad that they had a great time!

~~Mel~~ said...

Adorable! I loved dance as a little girl.

Lani said...

Awwww!!!! I can't wait to get my princess in dance class;) Glad they had fun!