When Push Comes to Shove...

A funny thing happens after you become a parent. (Or should I say one of many funny things happen? Idle grass...)

You become an adult.

That's not to say you aren't an adult beforehand. Or that grown-up people without children aren't adults either.

But you make decisions differently than you did before you had kids.

Emily has the chance to try out for "company" again. (This is a special ballet corps that performs most of the dances in any productions they do at her dance studio. You need to try out to be in it, and she needs to be in it to continue dancing in the Nutcracker.)

She's not excited...or keen...or interested (in some ways).

She's been dancing for 10 years now; she still enjoys it for the most part; and she really really really (did I mention: really?) wants to continue dancing in the Nutcracker.

The problem(s)...

She tried out last year...and didn't make it. A blow to her confidence.

The one teacher who helps to judge the tryouts doesn't like her...at all. A blow to her self-esteem.

So why make her continue? Why encourage her strongly to try out again? And why not pull her out of this dance studio and go somewhere else?

The third reason I mentioned above.

Some people dance because they love to dance. Some people dance because they love to perform.

Emily is the latter.

That's not always easy to understand for those who think an activity should be fun and ego-building.

I likened it to my writing.

When I was younger, I wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote. Everywhere I went, I carried a notebook and pen/pencil. My parents, my friends, my siblings, my everyone who knew me told me I should try to get published.

But I wrote, well, just because I loved to write. I loved the feeling of creating a story and characters and a whole new world.

Some people write to get published. Of course, they're probably better-off financially than me, but they do it for that purpose. I write because I want to.

So I'm pushing -- pulling, pleading, cojoling -- Emily to try out again. She may not make it (again), but it's a step in the right direction towards her goal to keep dancing in the Nutcracker and any other ballets they perform.

And I know this little "shove" will prove she can do it...it's just a matter of timing.

Monday Musings Betwixt Seasons

Happy Monday! My first Monday post in a loooong time. And Happy End-of-Summer-Beginning-of-Autumn!! Yay!

Wow! I cannot believe we're entering the last quarter of 2009 already. Is that really possible?

I love this time of year. The crisp air...the colorful leaves...needing warmer clothes but not heavy ones yet. Pumpkins, caramel apples, sunshine through the leaves. Mmmm...

Life has been moving incredibly fast at the moment. I know. I know. That isn't physically possible, but it sure feels that way.

Ethan had a fun first birthday, I think. We certainly had fun celebrating it with him. We're all still reeling at the idea that he's actually a year old...12 months...365 days. It seems like we only just met him...yet, like we've always known him, too. He's walking really well now and has a real "swagger" to his stroll. He's also trying to run, but he hasn't mastered the whole stopping thing so he's still a bit unstable on that front. He likes to dance and "jump" (with his feet on the ground still, of course), too. It's funny to watch him. Like our own baby entertainer.

Emily has started her 10th year of dance. We're not sure she's enjoying it quite so much these days. It's much more intense -- which you'd imagine at this level -- and we're thinking her interest might be waning a bit. We'll see. She's in the "middle school" of our cyber school which means she has four teachers to report to and actual assignments to do that will be graded. The work is challenging, but she's rising to it which is good. Just like it's hard to imagine Ethan is 1-year-old now, I'm finding it hard to believe she's in 7th grade...and soon will be 12!!!! Egads.

U9 soccer is proving challenging to Edward, too, this year. As far as we're concerned, his team is doing fine. The coaches and some of the other parents may disagree, but you have a lot of skill levels coming together on a team. We think he's still enjoying it, but we'll see when it comes time to sign up for the spring season. Ethan and I take Edward to his practices, and I think Ethan is enjoying playing with the extra balls he's finds. He even tried kicking it last night. Edward has a good handle on third grade already so we think he'll do great this year.

In other news...

A little less than 3 1/2 months until Season 8 of 24 starts!! Yippeeeeeeeee!! Yayayayayay!! Yeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaw!! Ahem. We're mildly excited here. Rumors have been flying that this may be the final season. It makes sense...but saddens us, nonetheless. Continuing on the Kiefer front, Monsters vs. Aliens comes out next week. If you haven't seen it yet, do so. It's a fun -- and really cute -- movie. And some really creative juices went into making it.

And at the typing of this particular post I think I'm nearly caught up on my blog. With the busyness of traveling and starting school and "birthdaying," I'm afraid it got a little neglected. Still, it feels good to catch up...

And with that I'll bid you adieu.

Pointe Taken

So last Friday Emily finished her last night of "pointe club" -- a week of dance classes, each 2 1/2 hours long, that included 20 minutes of learning to dance on her toes...

Ouch.

She started off the weekend before with an eagerness and excitement that filled her daddy and me with pride. I finished sewing the elastic and ribbons on her shoes, and she danced around the living room, using her new pointe shoes to demonstrate some of the other dance steps she'd learned.

It was exhilarating to her.

And she eagerly anticipated her first class on Monday, just knowing she was a "natural" for this kind of dancing.

Nerves mixed with the fact that she forgot her regular dance shoes (and one of her fellow dancers just had to exclaim quite loudly her amazement at such a fact) caused the first night to be less than she'd hoped.

And they were only doing 20 minutes of en pointe each night? Despite her tender toes, she was so disappointed.

Until the second night when she came home with blisters on her blisters and very sore feet.

Somehow the week went downhill from there...

Each night the drama got heavier and sadder and, well, more dramatic. Oscar nominations were being handed in left and right.

You remember the worms song? "Nobody likes me...everybody hates me..." No, I didn't use it. But I did try pep talks...hot, bubble baths...hugs...

Sigh.

Finally, I told her to buck up and enjoy it because there were lots of other children all over the world who would have loved such an opportunity but couldn't have it because of blah, blah, blah.

I know. I know. I resorted to the "eat your spinach because..." lecture.

But sometimes it's the truth...and it needs to be said.

Anyway, "pointe" taken. *wink*

She finished the week of classes...with only a few minor complaints at the end.

*grin*

Molten Monday Musings

Happy muggy, melting Monday to you! And hopefully wherever you are, you aren't in the middle of this same heatwave.

We're roasting here!

Thankfully, we're nearly through the worst of it.

The forecasters are promising lower temperatures by Wednesday. Mind you, that only means highs in the 80s F, but that is definitely cooler than the high 90s F.

We're continually thankful for the air conditioning in our house.

We had a busy weekend which ended even busier when we discovered a leak in our bathtub that put a quarter-sized hole in our living room ceiling. Ugh. One of the "hazards" of owning an old house, I guess. Still, Stuart managed to fix the leak, and I managed to recaulk the tub and any possible hole behind the fixtures, so we should be safe for now.

Edward finished his Spring soccer season on a very hot note yesterday. He ended up dropping out of the game due to heat exhaustion, but he played well while he was in. We were amazed that more kids didn't pass out from the heat. We took our "bunbrella" -- an old beach umbrella we use to shade the outside bunnies -- so the kids on the sidelines had a small bit of shade at least. Edward was a bit disappointed that there wasn't any kind of celebration afterwards...and no trophies. *sigh* We were sad for him. His head coach wasn't able to make the last game either. But we celebrated with ice cream and donuts/bagels at the local Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins.

Emily begins her "pointe club" tonight. It's an intensive week of learning to dance "en pointe." I finished attaching the ribbons and elastic to her pointe shoes, and we went out to a dance store to take a peek at some "lamb's wool" toe pads before heading home with a 1/4-yard of faux lamb's wool to sew our own. $2.50 for the material versus $11.99 for one pair. We still have tons of material leftover and could probably make her enough pairs of toe pads to wear a different pair each night. She suggested we start a toe pad business and sell them. Hmm...tempting. *wink*

I got the kids some Poptarts this morning when I went out very early for more caulk. We have them maybe once a year, and since it's Summer I thought it might be fun to have another "classic" treat. Emily asked me if they were around when I was a kid, and I said yes. Edward laughed and said with a wink, "They'd be pretty old and moldy by now though."

* * *

We've been debating names for our new addition, due in mid-September.

We have settled on the boy's names and a girl's first name. But it's been difficult finding a name to go with it. Of course, it has to be another "E" first name and "S" middle name -- we have two of those already. But there aren't many "S" names that go with our girl's "E" name. So I suggested another "E" name that sounded pretty with it.

Stuart kidded and said then she might decide to write everything in lowercase letters like the famous poet, "e e cummings."

Then he sent the following to me with a note suggesting that the double "E" name might not be so bad.

"To be nobody but yourself --in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else -- means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting." ~ e e cummings, poet

No matter what this next child's gender is, I love this quote and will write it somewhere in his/her room and baby book.

It is so much a part of what I've felt in recent years...especially when it comes to my kids.

God created us each to be unique...to be ourselves.

After all, there's only one "you" in the whole world. Why does the world want us to change that?

That's something to celebrate -- not change!

Think about it.

Dancer's Dreams

Here are some photos of Emily before and after her recital:


Dress Rehearsal


The class (minus two)


Before the recital



With her roses


Tired, but happy, dancer

Keeping Her on Her Toes

Emily went to get measured for toe shoes this past Saturday.

This is a huge deal for her. She's been awaiting pointe shoes since she was about 3.

She'll attend pointe "camp" -- an intensive week of classes -- next month, and then she'll do 20 minutes of pointe class at the end of her regular ballet class in the fall.

The teacher explained how to sew on the ribbons and elastic and also told us they extended the time for the camp class each night due to the fact that in the beginning it takes the girls about 20-25 minutes to get their pointe shoes on. *grin*

Watching the girls try on the shoes was like having a front seat in a Cinderella show. The shoes were like glass slippers to them, and when the teachers helped them stand for the first time in them...the grins on their faces were priceless.

Nutcracker Sweethearts -- Part 1

Well, it's over...

*grin*

*sigh*

*sniff*

With a mixture of emotions (happy, sad, tired, excited...), we made it through another Nutcracker season, our fourth one.

And once again the dancers shone on the stage of the Sovereign Performing Arts Centre, dancing to the melodious playing of the Reading Symphony Orchestra.

It's hard to believe it's already over.

Still in all, Emily enjoyed her time as an angel again this year. She's hoping she can try out for another bigger role next year. We'll see how it works out.

But now that it's over, we can finally begin to think about Christmas! *sigh*

Nutcracker Sweethearts -- Part 2

Angelic Performances

Emily performing as an angel in the 2007 Nutcracker Suite.

Dancing Queen

"You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen

Dancing queen, feel the beat from the tambourine

You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life

See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the dancing queen."

~"Dancing Queen" by ABBA

Well, the official dance season has begun.

Emily, our little dancing queen, started dance class yesterday. (Of course, she's only 9-going-on-10 not 17...but she's definitely "young and sweet" to us.)

She's been doing it for so long now we thought it would be comfortable like an "old hat." But she did feel a bit anxious as she has two classes this year and a new teacher.

Still, once she was there and in her new shoes, she was in her element and found friends from last year's class.

Stuart and I are excited to see what she learns this year -- especially because she's taking 2 1/2 hours of classes per week this year.

But her smiles after class are always a return on our investment.

* * *

As an aside...pardon the "soap box."

Why do we, as parents, need to make comments on how "big," "tall," or, like one mom yesterday said, "thin" the girls have gotten?

That mom -- somewhat outspoken anyway -- really shocked us when she said to Emily that she's lost "a lot of weight."

I said that Emily has never been heavy.

The mom was a bit flustered and agreed that Emily must have grown taller.

I wanted to tell her that Emily is already concerned about her weight and how much "fatter" she looks compared to the other girls in class. (But she's a good 4 to 5 inches taller than most of them, too.)

A little sensitivity to feelings... Not too much to ask, is it?

Dance With Me

We got the chance to observe Emily's last dance class on Monday, and I videoed her practicing for the recital dance. I'm only putting a portion on (at this point) since the actual video was too long to upload to YouTube, but you'll get the idea.

I love watching the girls in these sorts of things because they are very distracted by us viewers and the new room they're in...but they manage to stay together most of the time.