Gettin' off the crazy train....well, sort of....at least for now

Oy. We survived Madelyn's first year of dance! Just barely!

 Last Friday, she had a performance at the SUU Business Expo. I don't know why her studio insisted on doing stuff like that 2-3 times a month, but it was getting old and I was constantly so frazzled--I'm sure they thought I was the biggest airhead. Remember her performance three weeks ago, when I forgot her costume?

This time, she was to perform her pirate dance for the first time, followed by her mermaid dance, and she told me that she was supposed to wear her green Dance Magic t-shirt and black pants. So I had her put her blue mermaid costume on underneath, drove her over...and found out she was supposed to wear her orange dress, not her t-shirt and pants. So I raced back home to get it (with Luke, having to get him in and out of his stroller and car seat, etc.) and made it back just in time for her to change on the sidelines.

  Those hats crack me up!

Mark tried to get there in time to watch her, but missed it by a couple minutes, and then she didn't even end up doing her mermaid dance because most of her class didn't show up. Sigh.

Last night, her end of the year recital and Peter Pan production finally arrived. Her Grandma Yoder, Aunt Doris, Grandma Carolyn, Grandpa Rich, Auntie Meg, daddy and Luke and I were all going to be there. An hour and a half before we had to arrive, I started getting ready, determined that things would go smoothly for a change. Ha.

...about which time, Madelyn decided to dismantle the living room...

40 minutes before we had to be there, I was gathering Madelyn's things when 

* * * "Where are your tap shoes? * * *

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After about five minutes of searching, it was obvious that her tap shoes were gone. I called the director and she said that she was bringing the lost and found bin from the studio, so maybe they would be there. I packed Madelyn's black patent leather Sunday shoes just in case...

Luke could sense I was stressed and so went ahead and destroyed my iPod earbuds for me in the meantime. Thanks, Luke!

I had to hurry and try to put Madelyn's hair up (which is chin-length now and needed some serious shellacking to stay put), do her makeup, get Luke dressed and get out the door.

 

 

I was asked to stay in the hall off the stage to help Madelyn with her costume change, but it became apparent that the kids outnumbered the adults about 15 to 1.

So, I stayed behind the scenes for the entire 3 hours and 57 different dance numbers.  (Mark took Luke, thankfully) It was what you'd imagine a small hallway to be, full of excited but tired, hungry, dramatic and hyperactive girls (and a few boys), x107. They were supposed to be quiet, which of course meant that they were all making as much noise as possible. It was rather harrowing. Lots of giggling and crying and shrieking and tap dancing.

There's always something magical about being backstage, though.

 

Mermaid dance...

Pirate dance...

...handing out trophies and certificates

...greeting my parents and Auntie Meg

Luke got some wiggles out

I asked Madelyn to do some poses for me

 

She certainly has flair!

Then she ran and skidded on her knees (which she does all the time and always has bruised shins because of it) and got her tights all black. So I had her change into the extra pair I'd brought and was feeling very proud of myself for having the foresight to bring them. The second part of her recital was about to start.

Ten minutes later, I realized that there was a big hole in said tights in the back of her knee. I thought I had made sure to grab a good pair before we left home, but I guess I didn't! Yay for me! So then she had to get back into the first pair. I had her put them on so the black parts were in the back. Is this night over yet?!??

"I can hear the bells" dance

We never did find her tap shoes. Her Sunday shoes were a close enough match. I didn't care anymore at that point.

Especially because there was this girl in her class with no tights or shoes at all, and there were a couple others with no tap shoes. Check out that sunburn Madelyn got last weekend! Ow.

Her tap number. Last one! We're out of here!

There were still a few numbers left, but after 3 1/2 hours of chaos, we'd all had enough.

I'm proud of my little dancer! She did a great job. She is taking a mini "Pinkalicious Princess Camp" during the summer that will involve dance, but she's decided to try out gymnastics in the fall instead of doing all this again. I was so relieved until my friend Elisha asked if I wanted to help teach the advanced ballet class there next year! I haven't decided yet, but I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to a break. Tonight is Madelyn's kindergarten program, but I'm thinking it will be MUCH more low key. I hope. At least I won't have to be backstage.