first performances

(Elias added "tutu" to his vocabulary this week!)

My twirly girl performed in her first on-stage moments and I'm thrilled that she did just what she'd practiced and did not launch into a dance recital during the songs at the pre-school holiday program or the church Christmas program.
I really enjoyed the program at her school, in part because one of her teachers wrote two of the songs they sang. I feel so blessed to have Sydney in such talented and able hands during those few hours a week. When she took her spot before the show, she clapped and pointed to Nick and said, "Miss Jean! That's my dad!" in the proud way only a 3 year old can introduce her parents. In both performances she spent a decent percentage of the time smiling and waving at us. Awh, shucks, we love that little girl.
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The Christmas program at church was this morning and Sydney sang right along and kept her sweet hands in appropriate spots the whole time. phew! She has a cold and this morning as we were getting ready for church she let out a big crazy sneeze that left her face a mess. I said, "Oh no! What will we do if you do this during the show?!" I meant this as a rhetorical question, but she replied very earnestly, "We'll go home!" A wise girl. She already knows when to flee the scene.

As a special bonus to our annual Spokane shopping trip with Nick's family, there was an Irish Dance group performing right near the huge Christmas tree and Santa. Needless to say, Sydney was enthralled. She began by watching with huge eyes, then some toe tapping, and by the end of the performance her coat was off and she was flying about mimicking the movements of the dancers. I was thinking about being slightly mortified until I looked at the "big girls" faces and saw they they were thrilled that my little girl was so in love with their talents that she wanted to join in. It was precious. And yes, I'm researching dance classes.

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A light snow is falling outside, we are getting ready to go to a Christmas concert this evening at a beautiful church a few towns over and we began our day with Christmas hymns and angel costumes. Is there anything better?