tiny dancer.

a little known fact about me is that i was a ballerina for 10 years, growing up.

i started when i was 3 and stopped when i turned 13. 

i was not amazing at it by any means, but i loved how beautiful and graceful ballet made me feel.

i would dream about having a daughter someday to take to ballet class. 

when i found out that Maggie was a girl, my heart couldnt wait for ballet buns, tutus, pink leather 

ballet slippers and little pointed toes. ballet lessons have never been (and sadly still are not) in our budget, but every year they a disney ballet camp at our local community center. i have paitently waited 3 summers for my girl to be old enough to attend. this year they offered a Frozen themed ballet class (because, duh.) and i am pretty sure i was the first mama in renton to sign their daughter up for it. i scoured consignment stores for pretty pink ballet slippers, and snatched up every 99 cent ballet leotard i came across at the goodwill. we counted down the days for ballet camp, and when it finally came i dont know who was more excited - Me or Maggie.


that morning we pulled her freshly washed hair into a high, tight ballet bun, secured with bobby pins and hairspray, wiggled her little body into pale pink tights and pulled a black leotard up over her round toddler tummy. i dont think i have ever felt more excited about anything she has ever attended. we drove to the class and i taught her how to put her slippers on and gave her firm instructions about how "ballet slippers are not to be worn outdoors, only in the dance studio" and she wide eyed and excitedly walked into her class.




when class was over, she was thrilled. they danced to 'Let it Go' and were practicing a performance for the last day.  she showed me her plie' and i loved it. watching her fall in love with ballet too, made my heart burst.



for the next 4 days we excitedly did the same routine each morning, placing a bun on top of her hair and a tutu around her waist. She was in love. On the last day of class she told me, "mama, ballet makes me feel like a beautiful princess." i knew exactly what she meant, and i told her that even without ballet she was a princess. the way her face lit up was like magic.
 

when i snuck a glance at her dancing through the window to 'Let it Go' my eyes got teary. watching her sweet arms and legs move to the music of a song that she loves so much brought me so much joy - it was like watching magic happen before my very eyes.


she talks about ballet and balancing & dances on her tiptoes all the time. i know that even if we can never do formal ballet lessons, i'll always have these memories stored in my heart and she will never stop dancing.