....a mother's dream for her daughter

I remember as a child....

.....my very first recital rocking my baby doll, Baby Red, in my orange and yellow sequined tutu on the stage in Wichita Falls

.....pictures with two childhood friends...Meredith and Leah in those same orange and yellow tutus

.....ballet recitals in a royal blue leotard, dark brown hair pulled back in the perfect ballerina bun, red lipstick, rosy cheeks, and an arm full of flowers

.....the hot pink and silver sequined suit with matching top hats dancing to "Heaven is a Place on Earth"

.....the black and silver striped horrible one piece leotard with bike shorts....ick and awkward

.....one word.....Caboodles!!!!

.....shiny black patent tap shoes with satin ties

.....perfect pink ballet shoes

.....jazz shoes

.....the nerves on recital day

.....the backstage giggles of us girls

.....an entire day of preparation with cute ballet bags full of the "perfect" makeup, hair products, and other necessities of a performer

.....the shining stage lights that were so bright it kept me from seeing anything but a huge fog in front of me

.....the eight counts in my head so I would not mess up on any part of my dance

As a mom I will remember......

.....preparing for my sweet 3 year old daughter, Claire, to be in her first ballet recital

.....anticipating the arrival of her first ballet recital costume

.....buying the very first pair of ballet shoes

.....looking for the ballerina Barbie to coax her into the studio on those challenging days that she only wanted Mommy

.....loving that she could take ballerina Barbie into the studio and let them "watch" from the wall

.....receiving the sweet ballet bag from her cousin, Katelyn, from her early ballet days

.....nervousness of getting tickets to her first recital

.....anxiety of getting the precious curls brushed out for the "perfect ballet bun"

.....putting makeup on my baby for many hours of fun pictures of her first night on stage of what she thinks is "The Nutcracker" aka...Nutcwaker

.....kisses and hugs to her sweet teachers upon arriving for class each week

.....Claire changing her favorite color from pink to blue due to her sweet blue Cinderella (Cindawella) ballet cosutme

.....knowing that I have always dreamed of having a baby girl to get dolled up for her first year of ballet and first ballet recital

Thank you God for the opportunity to be the mother of a sweet baby girl who loves girly things, all things pink, Princesses, the spotlight of performing, and the idea of being in "The Nutcracker" when it's her first recital. I pray for many more days ahead for her to grow up as a sweet ballerina!