Recital and pre-school program, among a few others

We are a very laid back family, I guess. It should come as no shock that most of my reading of "The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" was met with a mouth-wide-open gasp because the type of parenting this woman does is hard, hard work. This is not the kind of parenting that I am cut out for... yet, it does sincerely disappoint me that for the second "recital" in a row, little Scouty has failed to show us exactly what it is that has been keeping her busy in dance class all this time.

This time around, we got there early, staked out our seats. We had additional audience members in the form of Aunt Lacey, Aunt Lexie, cousins Ella and Addy. And yet again there was a little bit of friction between Scout and another girl which caused her to crouch off and pout in the corner. I don't ask for much, but could we just have one recital where I actually get to see my child, um, I dunno, DANCE????

This photo, taken prior to the performance, shows a few of the kiddos moving around up on the little stage

Some of our illustrious audience members

Here is Mrs. April talking to Scout. Lord only knows what about.

Addy and fruit snacks, it's a winning combination

Scout pictured during performance, she's second from right

Again, during the performance, far right (You can also see the back of Ella's head)

On the ride home, both Cory and I asked Scout, "Why didn't you dance?" We were met with, "Where's Ella's car? Is Ella coming to my house? Is Ella going to have lunch with us? WHERE'S ELLA?" Very little was mentioned about the whole not-dancing-thing, but later in the afternoon I got it out of her that another girl did something to make her "so sad."

After the cousins left, Scout got back to the business of coordinating unstoppable fashion statements

In summary, I think it would be wise for me to hold off on signing Scout up for any additional dance classes.

Scout, with new accessory, standing next to the flowers that Aunt Lexie, Ella and Addy brought her

Fortunately a highlight of the day was playing with the cousins. Thank God for Aunt Lexie, Ella and Addison, or we probably would have been doing shuffle-ball-toe drills in her bedroom in front of her huge mirror all afternoon.

Scout, who sort of looks like the circus ringleader in her boots, along with Lexie pulling the wagon and riders

Addy and Rubies in the wagon

Today, May 18, we had the pleasure of seeing Scout perform. Along with her classmates, they did a few songs like "Twinkle, Twinkle" (with hand gestures), "The Itsy Bitsy Spider," (and a variation called the Teeny Tiny Spider, and another called Really Big Spider), but my favorite was one called the "Slimy Little Fish," which is a song about the food chain and ends in the humungus whale having a large belch. Cute, no? Here's a song they changed from "Three Little Monkeys" to "Three Little Fish". You'll hear a girl admit to messing up the words, which I find pretty hilarious.

The preschool class all lined up for singing

Some much needed respite after such a long day... at the fro-yo store

Ruby really fell in love with these cute chairs