Yesterday was my three year old granddaughter Kate's first dance class.
It was her special reward for being fully potty trained.
(well almost....who is really ever FULLY potty trained)
She was so excited to be a ballerina like Angelina Ballerina.
Her mom dressed her up in pink tights, pink body suit, pink skirt and a pink bow in her carefully braided hair. She asked if her mom would make her face pink as well.
They compromised with a little blush on each cheek.
They came to my house to pick me up and Kate emerged from her car in all her pink glory.
She looked like a little delicious stick of cotton candy.
She came in my house and said that she needed to wait a few minutes.
She asked if she could play in the new little house I had built for her.
I told her that there wasn't enough time to play and that we needed to get to her much anticipated dance class.
She said she needed something to eat.
She already had breakfast her mom told me.
She then said she needed to go to the bathroom.
No one ever tells her no on that one.
Her mom said that was strange since she had just gone before they left their house.
But like I said...it is NEVER a good idea to say no to a bathroom visit.
"Cmon Gramma" she said, "Come with me."
I went into my bedroom bathroom and helped her take off her whole pink ensemble. She sat herself on the toilet and smiled at me like it was a party.
I kept asking her if she was finished to which she would reply...
"In a minute gramma...in a minute."
She unrolled the toilet paper over and over again.
Now I am no rocket scientist but I know a good stall technique when I see one.
"Kate, I said...are you nervous?"
Kate looked at me with an expression of relief on her face. There was a word for this. All these butterflies in her stomach had a word.
"Yes Grammy...I be nervous."
I told her," Kate, I know you feel nervous since is this is the first time you are going to dance but don't worry...you will have a great time. And if you want you can just sit on my lap and watch the other girls dance. You can dance only if you feel like dancing."
She hesitated and thought about the offer and finally nodded her head yes.
She would go to dance class.
When we got there she was the first little girl there. As the dance instructor welcomed her she blurted out..."I am nervous. She was grateful to share the new word she had learned. The instructor assured her that she would have fun and that there would be plenty of other girls that were coming.
She was nervous.
As the other little pink girls started to come in Kate started to let loose of some of the butterflies. She loves other children and calls everyone she meets her size her new friend.
As the teacher led the line of little dancers into the studio I noticed my daughter Megan get up to fall in the line.
"Not you" I whispered...I don't think they want the mothers in there."
The look on Megans face was one I was well acquainted with. It was the same one I had whenever my children were ushered from my side somewhere without me.
Megan was nervous.
I told her...if you think this is bad just wait until the first day of kindergarten.
That thought made Megan even more nervous.
We both stood at the glass window as close as possible watching to see how Kate would do. I of course had my camera out to document this special occasion. Another "first" from a long line of "firsts" yet to come.
Kate loved it. They jumped on trampolines and hopped and played with hula hoops. She even did her very first front roll. Megan and I talked about the future and what classes to sign her up for. She was having the time of her life until they came to the choreography of a dance they would do in front of the moms. I don't know if it was the choreography or the thought of dancing in front of others but Kate decided she needed to go to the bathroom right that instant. Megan brought her back as they were doing another activity...the limbo. Kate squealed with excitement. She was in heaven....until they started more choreography. Now Kate had an urgent need to wash her hands. Cleanliness is next to Godliness.
By the time she returned they were ready to preform the much anticipated strawberry shortcake dance they had all been taught for the mothers. Kate had other plans.
She wanted to use her get out jail free card as promised by her gramma and sit on my lap.
Her teacher urged her to try and dance with them. She said there would be a treat and she whispered what it was in Kate's ear. It was enough to make Kate stand on her spot...a rubber circle placed on the floor. Her mark. Her first taste of show business. The teacher cued the music and the room of pink little girls began to dance.
Her first dance captured frame by frame.
She is the little ballerina in the hot pink skirt in the middle.
The one that is not moving.
The one that is studying her fingers and picking at a hangnail.
Although on the last two frames and as soon as the music stopped..she does reach out ever so gracefully and with her two arms extended she ran to sit in her Grammys lap.
A star is born.
