Duckies, Contractions, and Oh! The Olympics!

So today we entered a whole new world:  the insane, estrogen-fueled spectacle that is the Big Dance Recital.  Oh my, you all.  What a circus.  The studio held its recital downtown at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center, and there must have been 1,500 people there (that is an estimate by PVT, who is good at those kind of things).  With hundreds of little and big girls in tutus, and their mummies all decked out in their best dance mom finery, I'm surprised the whole place didn't burn up in a big girly hot flash of flames. 

I think Colette was a little overwhelmed at first; I was supposed to drop her with the "stage mom" and then go to my seat, while the (saintly, patient) stage mom shepherded the girls from backstage to their performance - about 30 minutes into the show.  Colette didn't want me to leave at first, but after a few gummy bears, she was OK.

The Duckies, All Lined Up - Thank You to Stage Mom Kelly P!

I suspected, though, once I left she would do just fine; she is preternaturally poised in situations like this, despite her penchant for throwing five-alarm tantrums at home. 

And she danced her little heart out, front and center - even Sylvie could see her red-headed sister from five miles away where we perched in the mezzanine seating.

PVT was especially impressed with his daughter's performance in front of the lights and multitudes.  When I asked him if he had gone to his sister's dance recitals as a kid, he gave me a look:  "She's deaf.  She didn't dance.  She couldn't have heard the music."

Oh....RIGHT!  Ahem. 

Here's to many more years of feathers, tutus and all that nonsense.  Isn't it great?

***

Yesterday I started having some really intense contractions.  They were erratic, but wow - when they came they were WHOPPERS.  So I did what any 38-year old mother of five would do when she suspects the baby might not wait much longer:  I called my MOMMY.  Yes, I did - and luckily she is now coming to our rescue a few days early.  Today I felt a little better, so I probably summoned her here early just to wait around for a jillion days.  Ah, well.  At least my mental state will be much improved!

***

I had heard vaguely that there's an Olympics this year - summer?  London?  Right.  I hadn't really paid much attention, until I got this in the mail:  

OK, Mr. Ryan Lochte, I'm paying attention now!