Ballerinas, Birthdays and Besties

Back in March, Lexi went to the cutest little birthday party.
Three and four year olds these days sure are lucky!
I remember when birthday parties used to mean
a trip with friends to the local bowling alley or roller skating rink.
These days it's all about The Little Gym or Bounce U.
Tyler's party this fall featured a mobile petting zoo,
and Shane's had a super cool inflatable slide.
The girls from school have had princess themes and pinatas,
and the most recent invite is for a make-your-own pirate pizza party.
Like I said, kids these days sure are lucky!

But one particular party last month really stood out.
It was held at a local ballet school in town.
All the little ladies showed up in their leotards and tutus.

They took a class with the instructor while their moms peeked in.
They threw silk scarves into the air, practiced all the ballet positions,
then munched on ballet slipper cupcakes.

And at the end, they put on a little performance,
taking turns leaping over objects and doing arabesques.
Lexi was super into it.
Graceful...not so much. But she sure was excited.
When I told her we had to leave because my friends were arriving back home,
she gasped, "Oh no, but I haven't had my turn yet."
So, stay we did until my own little ballerina got her moment in the spotlight.
The whole thing was cuteness overload.

And then it was time for mommy to have fun with friends of her own.
Aunties Ashley and Lauren made the trip out from NJ to meet Ryleigh
and spend the weekend with the Hamiltons.
I knew both of these girls back when I was a child -
I played softball and basketball with them in junior high,
went on vacations with them to Martha's Vineyard,
sat with them during high school lunch,
had Lauren as a roommate in grad school
and had both of them by my side when I married Vic.

So, it sure was wonderful to see the bond they are forming with my girls.