Hanna's Big Day

Although Hanna's recital was weeks ago I didn't want to miss blogging about it while I've been in my bloggy funkaroo. It is those little sweet details in life that are so precious to me, and it is so important to me to jot them down before I forget.

Hanna, my baaabbbyyy, as I call her, is my super shy child. She is really the shyest child, maybe even person, I know. So much like her Daddy that Hanna is. Last year she played soccer 'cause her big sister did and all. When she would run away from the ball I knew being on the soccer field was not this girl's thing. . . . after all, she is my priss pot.

I told her I was going to enroll her in ballet. She freaked out. I knew she'd love it if I could just convince her to go. I told her we'd do it until Christmas and if she hated it we'd drop out.

She loved it. However, there was one moment that gave Jon and I butterflies in our stomachs . . . recital . . . arggghhh!!! Now when Ashley took ballet this was her THING. She (in her best 4-year-old voice) "wuvveed bein' on da stage." She just didn't like the practices. But Ash is also our outgoing extrovert (I'll give you one guess where she gets this from).

Oh, but Hanna, poor, sweet, little Hanna. . . she is so shy some people may consider her rude. When others talk to her, she doesn't respond . . . she just looks down. She has a hard time looking those in the eye that she doesn't know well. Even to talk to me about things that are bothering her I have to drag them out of her. Again, she is just super shy.

Jon and I both were anxious the day of her recital. Now I am one of those control freak mamas who has to be involved in every.single.detail of my kiddos life. When Ash took ballet I was backstage with her at all times (unless she was performing). However, I knew if I went back there with Hanna she'd cling to me for dear life when it came time to perform on stage. I sent her backstage WITHOUT me!!! I do believe I deserve a medal for this *wink*wink*. Huge step in this control freak mama's life . . . huge I'm tellin' ya!!

I took her backstage to get her dressed . . .
I wonder what was going through her little head at this point. . .

All smiles for the camera. She was really, really hyper this day. I think it was to try to show she was not nervous . . . or maybe to take her mind off how she was feeling. . .

Here is Hanna with BFF, JuJu, and ballet teacher, Ms. Jena. Hanna will not have Ms. Jena as a teacher next year. She is so nervous the teacher next year will be mean (prob. 'cause Ms. Jena is so sugary sweet). Hanna at first told me she didn't want to do it next year . . . but, I got Ms. Jena to give her a good talking to . . . to tell her all the teachers at the studio were sweet. Hanna's in for another year of dance!!! Thank you Ms. Jena.

My sweet girls . . .

Posing for the camera . . . She's a natural, don't 'cha think?

You know Nanna and Papa drove up to see her.

Gigi and Grandaddy, of course, were there also

Here are some pictures just 'cause Hanna's so super cute!! The theme to the recital was Broadway Tunes.

In this picture they had to pretend like they were rolling dice. The song was "Luck be a Lady."

This is my favorite. Hanna so hammed it up! I was so excited. I know her little tummy was probably a bundle of nerves . . . but she did fantastic. I was so teary eyed watching her in the audience. . . so proud of her . . .

At the end when we went to pick her up, Hanna ran to Jon, jumped in his arms and said, "I want you." She knows she is like her Daddy . . . only those 2 can truly understand the ordeal she had just gone through . . . conquering those shy-girl nerves. She knows I will be full of words, enthusiasm, and hugs . . . but she didn't need that . . . . she needed someone who "gets" her . . . that someone being her sweet Daddy. Such a sweet moment!!!

Okay, so this next picture is totally posed. . . but when the actual thing took place it was not. . Jon dropped the girls and I off to get Hanna ready. Our bank is right down the road and he needed some cash, so he and Alec were going to walk. As he was walking away Hanna ran up to him and kissed him smack dab on the lips. My heart melted to butter!!! After the performance I had to recapture the moment with a picture. . .

My parents came back to our house after the performance to drink a cup of coffee. Here is a picture I snagged of Alec and her Bubby. (don't pay attention to those unfinished cabinets in the background:))