I was at school the day they started the preparations. I was cleaning the room next door, when the teachers were asking the kids what part they would like to play. They left it pretty open-ended, but just required sticking to the recent learning units on Oceans and Dinosaurs. The boys all chose "paleontologist" or "shark" or "dinosaur." EVERY single girl said "I want to be a mermaid", then, it came to Hattie near the end. She said "I want to be a triceratops." She was the only one who was specific about the kind of dinosaur and the only girl who didn't go for the mermaid. Kind of radical for Hattie! After she asked for the triceratops role, 2 fellow class-mates, a boy, and a girl, both changed their minds and asked if they could be triceratops with Harriet. So, the class play was written around the triceratops family. I thought that was pretty cool considering Hattie is the most over-looked, quiet, shy, never making waves, never taking on leadership, kind of student.
Here are some pics of the night. I feel sorry for Harriet's teachers' friends and family. They must have worked themselves to the bones making these costumes, and putting everything together for these kids. The parents helped a lot too, but I know that hundreds of hours were farmed out to others.
Here she is with all her mermaid friends backstage:
look at the back of this costume too!
Saying her lines (they made up their own lines): I am a triceratops. I live on top of the sea. I dance.
Way to go Harriet! (by the way, she now prefers to be called Harriet over Hattie.) Oh my gosh, I can't believe this little sweetie is all done with preschool! Are we really heading to kindergarten? Am I really putting this little munch on the bus next year with her sister?
Next up: Broadway or Bust (aka Dance Recital)
Harriet has been taking ballet for a little over a year now. We squeaked in at the end of the season last year after moving here and then put in a full year this year. Apparently, that is all the dancing Hattie prefers to do. She has been begging me since January (shortly AFTER I paid for the $$ recital costume) to quit dance. I have been dragging her by her tutu to ballet class every week since. She seems to hate going despite actually liking the class and having fun while she's in it. In particular, she hates tights, hates dancing in front of other people, and hates practicing the same thing over and over. Hmm... seems like ballet class might not be the ticket. Still, I didn't want her to think that she can just quit something that she's committed to and we've invested in, so I told her that if she'd push through to the end of the year, she could quit after the recital.
So, she was REALLY excited for the recital. to be over. so she could quit. What a horrible way to feel about something that you actually might like if you got over the little details. Still, she's only 5 and I'm not going to force her and pay for something that is that upsetting to her any longer than necessary. Sadly, for me, this may have been my last dance recital! I have two darling little girls who both love music and dancing, and neither one will take dance lessons. (well, NOW Grace would probably be interested in jazz or hip-hop, but please refer to her long list of other occupations for reasons she won't be signing up!)
I must say, even though I'm not a good dancer, I just love to watch dancing. I can just hear my Grandma Pearlie coming out in me (as I cringe) - hoping for an offspring to delight me on the stage. Sorry Grandma, none of us were ever in the Nutcracker, and it looks like no one ever will be! Sigh, oh well. Back to Harriet. Look at this delicious little cutie!
I am still proud of my little monkey. She did finish the year. She even stopped complaining about it so much in the end. She got ready for dress rehearsal and recital, and might have even been a tiny bit excited about the pretty costume, sparkly necklace, and fancy tiara. She might have enjoyed curling her hair and putting on mascara and lipstick too. The biggest victory of the weekend was that she went out on stage for both dress rehearsal and the show without crying. I know she was so scared. (Last year, they had to call me out of the audience and I had to stand on the stage during the recital and bring her back to my seat.) But, she was brave, she went with her class, she danced (in microscopic movements, but she did them all), and she stayed backstage with the rest of the dancers. They did a darling number to "I Feel Pretty" from Westside Story.
Getting carried out of Popejoy Hall at UNM by her Daddy... yay! all done with dance!
One thing about Harriet. She doesn't get sentimentally attached to things or places like Grace does. So, I don't have to rip my heart out as I take her away from something she'll never go back to again. With Grace, every good-bye, end of a season, end of a year, leaving this or that is just pure torture. (She's still crying over a taco place that closed 5 months ago.) I remember picking up Grace on her last day of preschool - heartbreaking beyond belief. Guitar teacher moving away last fall - end of the world. When I picked up Harriet on her last day at school, she was only upset that they didn't let her share her book and game with the rest of the class. She didn't bat an eyelash as we walked out of the school that she truly did love. She didn't care about leaving her dance studio either even though I might have had a tear or two. I have to be honest that I have not figured out Harriet yet. I have felt like I understood Grace to the core since she was born, but Harriet continues to surprise me and confuse me at every turn.
So what DOES she like? What really makes her excited? What will she get ready for first thing in the morning without a fit? Well... I hate to say it... but those ponies might be rearing their heads again. I need to devote a post to Galloping Grace Youth Ranch and the little hobby Hattie and I have picked up together and squeezed into May as well. Big sister is extremely jealous to say the least.
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