I would say "Yay! I survived!" but that might imply that it was difficult. We seemed to find our groove this year, so it really wasn't that hard at all. Sure I had to deal with some attitude this year. And I admit that it was something I wasn't prepared for and I really didn't know how to handle it. But in the end I just laughed it off because some people tend to take themselves too seriously. By the end of the year I realized that their bad attitude really had nothing to do with me.
That is when I realized that I was too chill to be a Dance Mom. Or at least the stereotypical Dance Mom that you think about when you hear the phrase Dance Mom. I was just there to watch my baby girl dance and have fun while I was at it.
Two years ago when we started this journey it was a little crazier. I had no idea what I was doing so I was totally out of my comfort zone. Clover loves her dance class so much that I sucked it up. Ah the things we do for our children. That and the toe taps are still just as adorable.
Once again this year I found myself backstage. I'm not sure if it was because Clover had asked me or if it was my insane want to be helpful. Either way there I was for the second year in a row. These kids made it so easy. By the end of the week they knew the routine and we were at the door waiting before we were even called. The stage director for that door looked at us surprised that we were lined up and ready to go. I take like a tenth of the credit because it was all the kids. We had a small hiccup when one of our poor darlings got sick 2/3rds of the way through the show. She went home and rested and was much better the next day. Minus the hiccup our night went pretty smoothly.
When I'm backstage with the group, all those years of child care training kick in. I'm doing a head count every two and half minutes. That fear of losing a kid keeps me on my toes most of the night. Even though there were three of us backstage with the kids I was still counting heads. Darn training!
I had an extra treat this year. One of the families I had in my class many years ago had joined our dance studio so I got to watch the youngest of their family up on stage dancing her heart out. I got to watch from the side of the stage but it was such a treat to see this little girl who was just a toddler many years ago up there on stage too.
The big show at the end of the year can get a little crazy but it's fun. I love watching Clover put together everything she has learned throughout the season. Not only does she get to put it all together but she gets to show it off. For everyone in the audience to see because she is "on the big stage". If she would have her way, she would want to hold classes on the stage because she loves it that much.
She loves all of it. The costumes are now fair game so she wore one of them to the grocery store today. Her flowers lasted until this week and then she picked all the petals off so she could save them. Luckily Grandma made her a silk bouquet to insure that we didn't have a replay of last years flower meltdown.
I'm glad that she has found something that she enjoys so much. I have come to accept the fact that I am a Dance Mom. Maybe we can start working on redefining it or something. I don't think I will be running out and buying myself a bumpit anytime soon.
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