Cocoa Bean Moment

How has the time flown by so fast?

A refrain common amongst most people...

unless you're imprisoned.
I've heard time really just crawls in that scenario. 

Tonight Jumping Bean and Bitty Bean had their first dance recital. I wasn't nervous for them, or worried, or any of that. I was completely excited about the entire evolution! But something in me changed when they walked out on that stage for each of their songs (they were each in 2 songs AND the grand finale - pretty awesome), because I became sentimental.

Maybe it was seeing my Bitty Bean concentrating so hard to do her very best that it looked like she might forget to breathe.

Or maybe it was watching Jumping Bean get so excited to do the dance that she lost track of where she was in the choreography.

Perhaps it was the high jumps Jumping Bean executed as if she had springs in her ballet shoes.

Or the way Bitty Bean's chipmunk cheeks bounced with every jump.

Or the fact that "Fly to Your Heart" from Tinkerbell was one of the songs. (I don't know why, but that makes me choke up every time)

Whatever "it" was....it caused soggy eyes and a very full heart.

I was working hard to not be that crazy mama - the mama I'm definitely going to be at their high school graduations...all blubbery and embarrassing and telling stories their friends will never let them live down...it is only a ballet recital, after all - and Jumping Bean came to my rescue.

When it was time for awards, they called a child's name and the child would walk across the stage - in front of all the other dancers seated on the stage - to receive their trophy. (You need to picture this, it's important.) When Jumping Bean's name was called, she stood up in the back row, walked to the front and started walking toward the teacher.

But then she saw Bitty Bean sitting in the front.

And Jumping Bean walked right over (swelling with pride in her little sister) and kissed her on the forehead.

Then she went on and accepted her trophy.

On the way back to her seat, she kissed her sister again.

Later, I asked her why she kissed Bitty Bean when she did, and this is what she said

"Mommy, I saw her and I just HAD to kiss her! You know? I mean, she did an amazing job, and she's so little and so brave in front of all those people and I can't believe she did it! So I kissed because I'm so proud of her. And I think she's awesome."

And that is exactly why I'm a sentimental wreck.
Because that moment was sweet.


~Whitney Copyright 2013