Mimi's Ballet, Princess Tea and Cinderella

On Saturday March 9th, we had such an amazingly perfect girl's day. What every mother, who wants or has a daughter, dreams of when they think about doing "girly" things with their daughter. 

I love having a girl. When I was first pregnant, I was sure we were having a boy. Like, I would going around calling the baby "he", I was so sure. Well at our 20 week appointment I was shocked to find out we were having a girl. Of course I was happy either way, as long as they were healthy! Adam on the other hand was sure we were having a girl from the beginning and of course was right. I find out he is right most of the time, but don't tell him I said that!!

I was supposed to teach on this particular Saturday, but ended up being able to switch my schedule at the last minute. I am so thankful because I would have been so sad to miss out on this moment with my princess.

Everyone knows that Lyla is a girly girl. But she is also a tough tom-boy too. She will be the star of the soccer team as she runs down the field in her sparkly pink cleats some day. That is, only if she gets her dad's coordination....if she gets her mom's, well then she probably won't be the star, but she look good doing it!

My mom's ballet company does a HUGE production every year in addition to their recitals. They seriously amaze me each year because they are SO good. This year was no different. They did "Sleeping Beauty". And it was beautiful.

Lyla was SO beyond excited to go see "Mimi's tutus" (that is what she calls my mom's dancers). We went the week before to pick out a princess dress for her to wear to the Ballet as well as a princess birthday party she was invited to. She had already decided before we even walked into the Disney store that she wanted the Cinderella Dress or "Ta" as she calls her. I tried to get her to at least look at the Sleeping Beauty or Snow White dresses just to make sure she was sure, but she would have nothing to do with them. So we got the Cinderella dress, the crown and then we found Cinderella "glass" slippers at Target. She was in L.O.V.E. She wears that dress almost every day. Side note: When we got home that day and she was trying the dress on, she broke down, like BROKE DOWN, that I did not get her TWO dresses. Umm, excuse me?!? I couldn't even get you to look at another dress and you are upset I did not get you two dresses?? Just for the record, she also wanted the pink Sleeping Beauty dress. I like being able to get things for her, but I mean seriously, can you not be happy about the ONE new dress I just got you? So as the tears fell, as she is dressed like Cinderella, I reasoned as best I could, that lots of little girls don't even get one dress and how blessed she was to have this beautiful Cinderella dress, the one she wanted. I don't want to raise a child that is going to demand and one that is not happy with the things they do get. I want her to learn to be thankful for the things the Lord provides. So after that teachable moment about the things we get, she was happy with her "Ta" dress and the fact that I would put a pink princess dress on her Christmas wish list. Kids.

So anyway, we got dressed up Saturday morning and headed to the church to watch "Mimi's tutus" perform Sleeping Beauty. Lyla was mesmerized by the whole thing. She LOVED every minute of the performance. She sat still through the whole thing, except for the couple of bathroom breaks and at the very end she had trouble sitting still. We moved the the back and she was able to dance around as the girls finished the performance.

Ready to go!

My little Cinderella!

Too busy watching the slideshow to take a picture.

Where did my baby go?

Mommy and Cinderella.

Originally, when I was scheduled to work, my sister Allison was going to take Lyla. So it was so fun to get to spend the day with her as well!!

Aunt Allison and Cinderella.

Cinderella and Nana (my grandmother).

So glad Nana was able to come as well. I am so thankful that Lyla knows her and gets to have a special relationship with her.

Ready for the ballet to start.

Sisters.

She loved the performance, but the best part was the Princess Tea that came after the ballet where she got to meet all the "tutus"!!!! She died and went to Heaven at this point. Literally she could have stayed with the ballerinas all.day.long. The princess tea was so fun. They had tables set up with traditional tea "treats". Finger sandwiches, cupcakes, scones. Lemonade for the little girls. And of course tea. Then they had all the ballerinas come in and walk around and spend time with all the kids.

The Blue Fairy was her FAVORITE. She did not let her out of her sight let alone let go of her hand the entire tea.

Meeting another Fairy with Mimi.

In Heaven.

Literally.

Headed to the tea.

One of the kittens, who Lyla called "Ellie" the entire time. Ellie is out cat's name.

More tutus.

Love how happy she is.

On stage with one of the tutus.

Meeting another little girl who was also Cinderella.

With Sleeping Beauty.

Not sure about another Cinderella sharing her spotlight. Look at the stare down!!

Meeting Red RidingHood.

Center.Of.Attention.

Talking to the tutus.

With my mom and Allison.

Pure delight.

Fairies and Sleeping Beauty.

The Girls loved my Cinderella too.

These girls are amazing. Not only are they so incredibly talented and gifted in dance, but they loved each and every little girl that came to the tea, especially my child. Lyla looks up to these girls and thinks they hung the moon. She talks about them all the time and is always asking to go see them. I am so thankful for how loving, sweet, kind, gracious, and fun they are. Everything a princess should be!