Hold me closer tiny dancer...

Well, this past weekend was quite a busy one.  Kennedy and I had a daddy-daughter date Friday night, Lindsy worked Saturday morning and then went to a Mary-Kay party afterwards while I watched the girls at home, then we went to her clinic summer party that evening, Sunday morning we did church and Sunday evening our church had a big block party to kick off the new school year.  So going back to work on Monday seemed relaxing. 

The best part of all of it was my date with Kennedy.  We had a quick dinner after work and then she and I headed to Woodland Park to see "Ballet Under the Stars".  They set up a big stage in the park and people bring their favorite relaxing apparatus to sit and watch.  The festivities start at 8pm with a "preshow" and the main event at 9.  Well, we rolled up slightly after 8 not knowing what to expect at all.  We stepped out of the car and immediately choked on all the moisture in the air.  It was so stinking humid!  But what are you gonna do, right?  I mean it's summer and my kid wanted to see the ballet.  Kennedy got in for free (thank God) and I paid 6 bucks for a ticket and a program.  I almost had to put a bag over K's head as we passed by trucks selling cupcakes, icees, and doodads.  

By the time we made it to the seating area, I needed a change of clothes.  You wouldn't think carrying a couple tailgate chairs and a miniature backpack would be that much work, but I felt like I had just walked through a carwash and paid the extra $5 for the supreme wash.  The place was packed out with soccer moms and guys who put on a happy face for their wives or girlfriends, probably because they were promised something later.  There was a white line in a semi-circle around the seating area which was the demarcation of chairs or blankets. Judging by the mass of humanity, the density of blankets, and the size of the picnice baskets, apparently, you have to get there two weeks in advance to get near the stage.  We ended up in a spot only partially blocked by a giant oak tree, right next to some lovely old ladies with a giant picnic basket full of crackers and cheeseball.  mmmm...  cheeseball.  We quickly realized that Kennedy's little low-profile beach chair was going to give her a wonderful evening of old-lady fanny all night.  So, as if it wasn't hot enough, she got to sit in my lap.  She immediately asked for her "treat" that mommy had packed us, as if her mind had never left the thought since we left the house.  That is one reason I know she is her mother's child.  I am half-drunk and drooling over a half-eaten cheeseball in the next row, and she has visions of twizzlers dancing in her head.  So, she had her treat, and loved every bite.  And then she had my treat, and loved every bite.

The "preshow", as it turns out, is a production of younger ballet students (7-17ish).  It could not have been more perfect that they were doing Snow White.  Kennedy was instantly mesmerized by the gold and blue dress.  I don't know how much she enjoyed it because she asked 1,462 questions within the first scene.  "What is Snow White doing?" "Dancing, honey, this is ballet" "Why is she doing that? (dancing that is)" "because this is ballet, honey, that's what they do" "Why are the flowers dancing?...  Why are the trees dancing?...  why are the butterflies dancing?... ".  But she was glued to it.

The show was really cute.  The kids did an excellent job.   

After the preshow, alot of the parents and people from the blanket section left, so Kennedy and I gave up the comfort of our, (ahem), my chair and moved to the comfort of the bare earth.  Between shows, Kennedy spotted Snow White shaking hands and talking to her younger admirers across the way.  I asked her if she wanted to go meet her and get a picture and she was all about it...  that is, until we got about 5 steps from her.  At that point, I became a human shield from which she would not come forth.  I actually had flashbacks to when I was that age.  I probably would have turned into a puddle.  So I couldn't get her to come out and I apologized to Snow White.  We started walking back to our little patch of dew and dirt covered heaven, when she changed her mind and decided she could brave the perils of meeting her #3 idol (#1 = Cinderella, #2 = Sleeping Beauty).  By this time Snow White was walking back to her car with her mom, so we had to chase her down through a huge crowd of people.  You can imagine how that looked with this grown man chasing down this little star performer in the shadows, but oh well.  So this time Kennedy went up to her and sheepishly told her she liked it and that she did a good job (with much coaxing).  I tried to snap a few photos, but the stupid flash was not working!!!  So, this is the best I could do with editing....

I think this was the highlight of her night, and maybe even of her short little life.  Actually, I think in her mind the rest of her life is pretty much downhill from here.  I was really proud of her for perservering through the veil of shyness that I inadvertently passed on to her.

The main portion of the program (which already had to pail in comparison before it even started) was two groups of professionals dancing to various pieces of music.  Kennedy didn't have quite as much interest in this, although there was still a million questions about the new "princesses" and "princes", as now any girl dancer in a pretty dress is a princess and any boy dressed and dancing is a prince. 

I didn't think I could get any hotter than her sitting in my lap in the chair.  I was wrong.  Sitting in my lap on the ground was hotter, and more uncomfortable.  I finally talked her into sitting into her low-profile chair since it would work in this section.  Yeah, that lasted all of 5 minutes.  Then she was back in my lap looking for more twizzlers.  I tried to convince her to leave at the intermission of each act, but alas, she wasn't having it.  Finally, she said she had to potty really bad and I thought this was our chance to head out, so I grabbed all of our parafenalia and started out.  We dropped it all outside the jiffy-jon and then sealed the deal.  Upon exiting, I said, "OK, the car is this way".  "Daddy, it's not over yet."  So back we went, with the chairs, and candy, and lovies.  I perched us in the back and we stayed and sweated until the bitter end.  Although, the last 30 minutes or so consisted of her dancing for me in front of our chair. 

It was alot of fun and cool to see the Snow White performance.  The program is Friday to Sunday, so I don't know if they did different "preshows" each night? or Snow White every night.  It would have been the tripple crown if Kennedy could have seen all three of her idols in one weekend...  Overall, this was an incredible evening spent with my first-born and I will always remember it.

On another note....  I stayed home to take care of Lindsy and the girls today and had some more fun with K.  She wore all three of her dance leotards (I have no idea how to spell that and am proud of it) this afternoon while she played and danced.  At one point, she approached me in her little yellow number with the earrings I had helped her put on and she said softly, "daddy, can we get married?  It's getting late, it's almost midnight." (everyone should recognize the Cinderalla reference)

Seriously, how could I say no to that face??  So we said our vows and kissed, and then she rushed me into the "ballroom" (otherwise known as the playroom, bonus room, addition..) and turned on her Disney music so we could dance.  It was possibly the sweetest thing ever.  I guess it was one of the high points of my longer life.  Is it all downhill from here?  Hopefully Avery has the same affection for her daddy...

What is better than being a Dad?!