Tiny Ballerina ~Don’t Go breaking my Heart

My littlest ballerina begins to dance today. It has reminded me of last year at this time. With each passing year, my babies are a little less babies and a little more big girls. This makes me simultaneously ecstatic and sad beyond measure but proud always.

Months, nay years, of begging, pleading, and waiting for the day when Gabs would be able to put on those coveted pink canvas slippers and take her first ballet class had finally arrived. Gabs has been prancing around in Bella’s too large leotard and dancing, since she could walk. How adorable they had looked in their puffy pink tutu’s and tiara’s, “pliet”ing and “tendu”ing to and fro. Gabs was excited beyond anything I had seen thus far in her little life.

We, as a family, made a special trip to the ballet shop and got Gabs fitted for her first official ballet slippers. We let her and her sister pick out a new leotard and tights and Gabs got to pick out her very first ballet bag. The same as we had done for her big sister, 3 years prior. Bella was ecstatic to be sharing her love of ballet with her baby sister. This was one of those really big moments. You know the ones that you will look back on in 10 years and say, that was the first moment in the rest of her life. It was a defining moment for me too. My baby was growing up.

Tiny Ballerina, exuding grace and beauty

The night before the big day, excitement gave way to fear right before bedtime. Suddenly, Gabs was trying to use any excuse in the book to get out of going to her first class. As she was drifting asleep in my arms, she declared, “Me no go to ballet. OK, Mommy?” Umm, no that’s not OK! But what’s the point of arguing with an overtired, nervous 3-year-old? None, unless extreme aggravation is your desired end result. I told her we’d talk about it in the morning.

Morning came and she wasn’t budging. Ballet is a huge step for my Gabs. It’s something we’ve all been looking forward to but it is symbolic of something much greater for Gabs. I’m a WAHM so the girls don’t go into preschool until they are 4. Gabs is pretty timid in new situations. Bella is as well, but she is the suck it up and chin up sort of girl. Gabs is the kicking, screaming, dragging her feet, NEVER going gently into that good night. Never! Gabs will scream and refuse, she has no shame in raging against the dawn but once you force her to face her fears and anxiety, she loves it. This is how it works with this little one. Everything is difficult but everything is so worth it! It breaks my heart to push my baby ballerina bird out of the nest. Dance baby, dance!

My Tiny Ballerina is growing up too fast