Tiny Dancer

Amelia started dance class today. After weeks of anticipation it was finally here and she could hardly contain her enthusiasm as we got her ready for her class. She told me all about her tights and leotard as we put them on and she let me put her hair into a ponytail without a fight.  She tucked her dance shoes into the bag I made for her and stood at the door anxious to leave. I was more emotional than I expected when she told me in the car that I couldn't go to dance class that I could just drop her off. (We had discussed this prior to class but she was way too okay with it!) My baby isn't a baby anymore, she's a little girl. A very independent little girl.

I got to stand outside the class for the first few minutes and watch her as the class began. I had a nervous excitement for her as I watched her for the first time in a social situation like this without me by her side. I had a cheesy grin plastered on my face as she looked around uncertain of what she was doing, but not intimidated in the least.

The dance teacher was great with the girls, using nursery rhymes to associate the movements with the words of the songs and quickly changing from movement to movement to hold their attention. Amelia watched her wide-eyed as she took in everything she was saying.

I stood there looking through the window at this beautiful, confident little girl holding the bar and watching herself in the mirror and I couldn't help but be so filled with pride. My tiny dancer.

I retreated to the waiting room and waited until the class was over. When I came back to pick her up she ran to me grinning from ear to ear. She was so proud of herself for earning her treat from the teacher and so excited about her class. As we waited to talk to the teacher (she's only in the class on a trial basis because she's younger than the rest) she wrapped her arms around my neck and said, "I missed you momma." The kid melts my heart.