Finally - Lexie's Recital Video

6/28/2009 12:39:00 PM Edit This 0 Comments »


So here it is - the much awaited video of Lexie's recital on THE BIG STAGE as she calls it. I think they are all pretty darn cute. Thanks Sara for getting it to me. All the girls are between 3 & 4 except the leader of the pack, Amber, who is 8 and was brought in by the teacher to help the girls during the performance. She was wonderful with them even when they had trouble with the circle. They were certainly not perfect but I was surprised they remember the dance at all. Lexie and I didn't practice at home or anything. I think they did great and I'm so very proud of my baby elephant Lexie Lou!!

FOUND - One Happy Little Elephant!

6/25/2009 10:36:00 PM Edit This 5 Comments »

It's been a long couple of weeks to get a smile out of her while she is wearing that costume but it finally happened tonight. As you will recall a few weeks ago when Lexie was coaxed into first putting on the costume the results were not the best. But tonight she had her final dress rehearsal for her dance recital that is this weekend. I will be glad when it's over but am happy to report I have a very happy elephant on my hands - finally! For the last two weeks of practices Lexie was her usual happy little dancer self. Until they invited the moms into the room to watch them dance. Lexie would run to sit on my lap and refuse to dance with the other girls. She has been very clingy lately and I think that was a big part of it.

Here she is with her practice tail in class happy as can be.


Then we had a dance class with them wearing the costumes minus tights just so they could get used to wearing them (especially since Lexie was not the only child in the class not happy about them.) As you can see she wasn't happy about wearing it at first but once we got outside she decided to do a little dance in the drive way and off we went.





At the class she had fun with the girls and it was finally decided to cut off the skirts on the costumes since they didn't look right on their own but looked really fun with the tutus under them. Then the hair debate went on for a while but everything was finally decided. By the way, we have a wonderful group of moms and girls so no non-sense like last year went on. Everyone is there for the kids to have fun not a beauty contest or power trip. MUCH better than last years attitudes!

Then this Monday were the professional pictures at the studio and all the dancers came fully dressed. Well she had a ball running around with the girls (after I had to bribe her with M&Ms to get into her costume) but as soon as they called our group in to have pictures taken she wanted me to hold her and wouldn't let go. One little girl did her individual picture first and then it was Lexie's turn. She would have nothing to do with it. My little photo princess would not let go of me. Lots of tears later I just said forget it with the individual pictures with the hopes that she would take the group picture at least and maybe go for the individual one after. Nope. Even when the dance teacher, Ms Tanya, came in and took her from me to try to get her to join the group she started sobbing. On my goodness you would have thought we were torturing her. Poor baby. I finally said enough and sorry to the other moms. But if it's not going to be fun for her then I'm just not going to do it. Here are the pictures I took of some of the girls practicing their poses and playing around before they went in to the torture chamber as Lexie clearly saw it.





COULD THEY BE ANY CUTER?
Then on Tue we had their first practice on the "Big Stage" at the high school where the recital was going to be. Needless to say I didn't expect much but of course she shocked me. She got right up there, had so much fun with the girls and did the dance 3 times. But of course she wasn't wearing the costume.



So tonight was their final dress rehearsal with lights, music, costumes - the works. She was excited to get ready with the whole hair curling event and she was thrilled to put on make-up! She even practiced some of the poses in the dance.




I really didn't know which way she'd go once we got to "The Big Stage" as Lexie called it. I keep telling her she was like Angelina Ballerina her new favorite book that she got for her birthday from one of the girls in her class. But she was amazing. As soon as she marched on stage with the other girls she looked out at the audience and waved. So cute and then she did the whole dance with a huge grin on her face and got in a couple of more waves. She was just adorable! Yeah Lexie. I had decided if she was upset or wouldn't go on then that was going to be it. Needless to say I was so pleased to see her having so much fun. The only time she cried tonight was when I went to get her backstage and told her she was done. She cried saying "do it again - I want to do it again!!" as she wailed. I have a little star on my hands. What a funny little girl!



Waiting to go on backstage.


Such a BIG stage for such little girls.


She was ALWAYS out front.



Taking their bows!!



She was so darn proud of herself (and Mommy was too!!)

WANTED....A Happy Baby Elephant!!

6/11/2009 11:49:00 PM Edit This 3 Comments »

Just a quick note to say I've been so busy with work, work, work, that I haven't had time to breath let alone post. But I have to share this picture. Lexie's big dance recital is in 3 weeks and I picked up her costume on Saturday. Here is her response to it......


It's going to be a long 3 weeks!!!