I have to back up and give a little bit of history here. I grew up going to the ballet. My grandfather was very involved with the ballet {I talked about it some in this post}, and so we went quite frequently. When I was about 3, my parents taped The Nutcracker on TV, and we would watch it over and over again. It was the version starring Mikhail Baryshnikov. If you don't know who that is, he is one of the most talented ballet dancers in the world. Most people probably know him as Carrie Bradshaw's Russian boyfriend on the last season of Sex and the City. Anyway, I was totally obsessed with him. At the part in The Nutcracker when he turns from the actual nutcracker into a real person and it shows his face, I excitedly proclaimed, "Now that's the kinda man I like!" I was 3. My mom loves to tell that story. I was so in love with him that she wrote to his ballet company, and they sent me an autographed photo of him. When my grandparents went overseas on a trip, they sent me a birthday card with his picture on the front. Hilarious. I still have both of those things in a scrapbook at my parents' house.
Anyway, I have always loved the ballet! I took ballet for one year {2nd grade}, and I secretly loved it. But I was so much of a tomboy that I was afraid it would ruin my image, so I wouldn't let my mom sign me up for it anymore after that year. :) She said she wished she did because I used to dance all around the house {if you know me well, you're probably laughing at that considering I hate to dance now}.
So, all that to say, The Nutcracker is one of my favorite things of all time, and I could not wait to take Curran!
We went to the lunch at the art museum {next to the auditorium} and sat a table with my mom, Aunt Janie, Chris & Sinclair, and a couple of friends from high school and their daughters. Some of the dancers came in and talk to the kids and pose for pictures. Curran was so enthralled with the ballerinas that she would not even eat. I could not, for the life of me, get to focus on her plate. She was obsessed with their outfits, and the whole time during the ballet, she would point out the dresses we had seen at the lunch. She even posed for pictures, which is totally not like her.
{if you follow me on Instagram you have already seen some of these pics}
Notice her "trying not to smile" look.
They also gave all the little girls necklaces with ballerina charms on them.
C loved it!
Sinclair did SO well! We were impressed! They did have to leave the ballet a little early, but she did great and was very quiet almost the whole time. She seemed to enjoy it too.
Swinging.
My only complaint was that the lunch started two hours before the ballet, so we had to let the girls run around a bit to kill some time.
Playing on some of the sculptures.
Waiting on it to start!
Afterwards. Please ignore C's weird smile. {and please ignore my unfortunate "baby bangs"}
To say she had a great time would be an understatement! I really can't put into words how much fun that day was. I don't know why exactly- we have done so many fun and memorable things together- but something about taking her to something that was such a special part of my childhood, and watching her thoroughly enjoy herself, was just incredibly special. I will always have such fond memories from that day! I can't wait to go again next year!
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