The Nutcracker

I had ballerina dreams as a little girl, dancing around my living room, so wanting to see a performance of "The Nutcracker" was a natural progression. Shawn and I were supposed to see it in Cincinnati one year but couldn't go due to a snowstorm. Thus, I have been anxiously waiting for the year that Claire was old enough to take her to the annual NCSA's production. I've heard about how wonderful it is, and we were not disappointed. Though seated so high up we could have communed with the angels, it was really an afternoon to remember. I was thoroughly impressed. Claire was beside herself, and eventually had to get up and dance along with the Sugar Plum Fairy at the end.

Ready to go

I copied these pictures from the NCSA website. They didn't allow photography during the show, but this is what it really looked like.

As we walked out the door of the theater, Claire was already making plans to pull out her tutu and ballet shoes. This is her "Sugar Plum Fairy" outfit. She was dancing around the living room for the rest of the night.


And, as every ballerina knows, no performance is complete without a leading male. Ben was happy to fulfill that role. When he came out of Claire's room dressed like this, I almost peed my pants I was laughing so hard. Shawn, however, was not laughing.

Personally, I think the pacifier is the perfect touch to his outfit
Here they are doing their own Nutcracker dance.