Bring On the Mother of the Year Award

Z's first dance class? MONUMENTAL PARENTAL FAIL.

After a week of being asked each morning, "Is it dancing day today?" I managed to blow Z's first dance class. I would like to blame it on the crappy directions (I should know better than to trust Yahoo Maps!), but no, it was all me.

I had planned on leaving at 5:15, but last minute piddling saw us off at more like 5:20. I decided to go ahead and follow the directions to the studio given to me by Yahoo Maps even though they seemed a little squirrelly. Turns out they sent me down a road that had been blocked off with the new loop around town, so I was forced to backtrack halfway home to get on the right track again. Arg!

Then, when I was in spitting distance of the studio, I realized that my directions did not include a street address! Ack! One panicked phone call to the hubs later, I had a street number. I walk up to the very NOT dance-studio-looking door and ring the bell. We are greeted by a chorus of barking dogs and a strong odor of cigarette smoke. Great!

Turns out, this is the home of the teacher's mother. The (not doggy or smokey) studio was two doors down. I hustled us in, about 15 minutes late. Or so I thought. I am scrambling Z out of her coat and sweats and into her skirt and ballet shoes while the other little girls are running and leaping across the floor.

I finally get her dressed and the teacher asks if Z wants to take a turn. She runs and leaps and looks totally cute, then returns to her spot on the floor. One more little girl does her thing, then, much to Z and my mutual dismay, the teacher gets out the stickers.

Class was over.

Stellar parent that I am, I got the time of the class wrong. It started at 5:00, not 5:30 . After building dance class up all week, I got my baby there just in time for the last exercise of the day. Just. kill. me. now.

She was so confused when the other girls started leaving. I felt like such a loser. I must have apologized to her 20 times. By the time we got to the car she was in tears. I SO totally have this mother business down.

In an all out bribe, we took her out for pizza and ice cream. By the time she went to bed, I think she figured that she got an okay deal. Next week, we will be waiting outside the studio door at 4:50.

But even in that brief time, there was MUCH cuteness.

While we were there, I paid for her recital costumes. Holy cats, they skin you on the outfits! But, OMG! They are SO cute. I wanted to attach a picture, but the site won't let you copy them! Darn copyright laws! They have a red sequined body suit with black and white polka dot trim. She'll wear a fringe skirt for the tap dance and a red tutu with polka dot trim for the ballet part. Nom! Must. eat. mah. baby! She is going to be beyond cute.

When she found out that I knew how to do the basic ballet moves, Z was super excited about practicing at home. Looks like I have some ballet in my future!