Pre-ballet!

For some time we've been talking to Rachel about registering her for a pre-ballet class. (Plus we want to keep up her swim lessons, and maybe introduce her to soccer and rock climbing. Oh, the places she'll go!!) Because we are slacker parents, we only got around to signing her up on Thursday night. Swim lessons for the next level up are closed; we'll have to resume in December. Drew promised to spend time with her in the pool before then so she'll continue to get more comfortable in the water.

Today was her first pre-ballet class. We didn't bother buying a tutu or slippers or a leotard because we wanted to see if she'd like the class first. So she and Drew left this morning with Rachel wearing a lovely skirt that Aunt Kay and Uncle Jack gave her for her birthday last year, tights, her "fancy shoes" and a short-sleeve shirt. She looked adorable.

The verdict? "That was GREAT!" Rachel said to Drew when it was over. The teacher, Sandy, has been instructing kids for 18 years. The class was at a rec center kind of a haul from our house, but worth it. Rachel is learning first position, second position and releve. She's the youngest kid in the class and apparently the only one who hasn't done ballet before. Which is good, I told Drew, because it gives her an incentive to catch up to the other kids as far as skill levels go.

Best of all: The 8-week session concludes with a DANCE RECITAL on Nov. 19th! I can't wait. That will give me an excuse to buy a video camera, because I really want to start capturing Rachel on video, and my Smartphone's video feature just won't cut it.

Cute Rachel sayings so far today:

We all woke up late this morning, which means we didn't get up until around 9 or so, and Drew hopped in to the shower before Rachel came out of her bedroom. Which is good, because we needed the sleep. (I got home late from work, so we ate dinner at 8:30 and got ice cream afterward so Rachel went to bed very very late). When we were eating breakfast, Rachel said:

"When I woke up I saw nobody and I was so hungry. So so hungry, and I thought, 'hmmm, where did everybody go? I think they're hiding.' My tummy was so so hungry. It was whining!"

***

"When I grow up I'm going to have children," Rachel announced.
"How many children are you going to have?" Drew asked.
"A little boy and a little girl. The girl will be Abigail and the boy will be David and the sister will be Abby Cadaddy. Little boy, little girl, Mommy and little sister!"

Notice there is no mention of a daddy....