Millie’s Spring Dance Recital
It seems unfathomable that it has only been five months since Millie’s first recital (remember the Rudolph antlers?). She looks so much more grown up and it is kind of blowing my mind. Not only is she losing her baby chub, her hair is growing, and she is almost as tall as me. However, one thing remains the same. The girl is a still a total HAM and a half!
This go-round, Millie and her ballet class buddies were charged with performing a routine to Sound of Music’s “So Long, Farewell”. Since Sound of Music is one of my favorite movies ever, Mills already knew all of the words to the song, and was pretty stoked to get the news of their routine. Their dance was super sweet, and the girls did a great job, though it was touch and go with Mills there for about 24 hours after a dress rehearsal temper tantrum. Just writing about it makes me want a glass of wine, but I will breathe in, and out, and rinse and repeat until I remember that those tantrums are few and far between. Plus, when it actually came time for their performance, Shirley Temple, Jr. rocked it out.
As I posted last time, several of these are from the dress rehearsal day. I guess one more thing remains the same—I am still a stress case when it comes to juggling cameras, makeup, and a 3 year old with may-jah attitude!
My how they’ve grown since they started a year ago!
Work it, little sister!
Cassidy gets her lips put on by her rad mom, Shannon.
Julia and Mills are super excited to go on stage!
Yes, she is actually waving to me. Oh, brother!
So long, farewell! Love the yawn part of the dance!
Sam and Mills celebrate a job well done and tons of fun!
Here’s us. I have to make a disclaimer and say that I had just driven in from Brenham after photographing Candice + Chris‘ wedding and a whole 4 hours of sleep. That’s more time on the road than in the bed, hence my droopy eyes.
Also, Bobby says it isn’t his good side, but whatever. He looks cute to me!!!
We’re takin’ a break from dance this summer, but I am sure there’ll be other festivities calling for Millie pics.
Stay tuned to the craziness that is my daughter.
millie pics are always my favorite!
I love the one of all 3 of you!!
You definitely captured our prima ballerina!!! And by the way, the photographer that took the shot of the three of you is absolutely phenomenal….what a shot!!! Love those Meffords!!!
Kate, your family is SO beautiful! I really LOVE these photos. They made me smile. 
PRE-CIOU-SSSSS!!!
Just precious, whoever picked out the girls tutu’s bravo! Also, I love the family pic, very nice.
The Hilarious Heilers
Since I have already shown you Millie’s BFF, Sammy, once or twice, it would only be fair to show you the rest of her fabulous family. It has been such a pleasure becoming friends with them. It’s pretty cool when people are brought together and new friendships are started because of a couple of 3 year old girls.
One thing I love most about the Heilers clan is that they all have the same bone-dry sense of humor.
Gee, I wonder if you can pick up on that in these photographs?
Work it on out, people!
Ok…I really think we need to all head over to the Heilers’ house to clean off a wall so that they can display this next series, and BIG.
Whaddya think? Who’s in?
This image says so much about them. Love it!
Kisses with cookie crumbs…what a delicious combo!
A definite contender for the Christmas card.
How gorgeous are these children??
Finley is the King of the World. Yeah. I’m old, so I’m sure he doesn’t get that reference.
(Titanic for those of you who are still in the womb.)
Such a fun family!
Don’t you love it when kids just break out into song randomly? I know I do.
What a cutie. I’m definitely putting him on Millie’s potential suitors list.
I LOVE this one of Mandy and Eric. It is so them.
If they were any drier, we would see tumbleweeds and dust. And maybe a canyon and a cactus.
Thanks for the fun time, Heilers fam! It was an honor!
[…] Hilarious Mandy mentioned that Sam was going to be taking lessons this spring, I jumped right on that bus. I tend […]
Millie’s 1st Day of Dance
About a month ago, Millie’s friend Samantha’s mom (the everso hilarious Mandy) and I signed our girls up for a summer dance session so they could get a taste of ballet and tap. As parents, we notice little things like the desire to only wear dresses and the twirling and princess-y-ness of their little swaggers. The sudden disapproval of anything not pink and the increasing interest in television shows revolving around music and dance might also be a clue. We are raising some fierce girly-girls!
We got the leotard, tights, tutu, (a new fantastic nanny named Olivia, who works at the dance store) and 2 kinds of shoes a MONTH ago, in preparation for this day. I cannot tell you how many times the outfit has already been worn during dress up time at our house. Mills was begging for this day to come!
Words cannot express the joy that came over me as I walked Millie into her dance studio yesterday morning. She pranced right over to the door and stood for a moment. She looked at me, looked down at her star sequins sewn into her tutu, and just giggled with glee. I opened the door, and she ran in!
In her own little Millie style (cautious…impulsive…cautious, then…impulsive), she cased out the joint to make sure this was, indeed, a dance studio, and not a holding cell for naughty little boys and girls in time out. After waiting a few minutes, her friend Samantha arrived. Hugs flew around everywhere, and the rest is…herstory.
Waiting with baited breath for Samantha, Millie nearly exploded. They hadn’t seen each other in a whole month!
My gorgeous little ballerina in the doorway of her classroom, room 3.
For some reason, I want a big canvas of this.
Oh, the excitement amongst reacquainted friends made me want to clap my hands in celebration!
I couldn’t have planned sweeter moments.
Can’t you HEAR the giggles?
And, we’re done.
Silly Millie! Seriously, she is too cute. Definitely my favorite images of her you’ve posted on the blog. For sure get a canvas of her little feet in the mirror. Too cute.
This is the absolute greatest thing in the world! I cannot imagine a greater high than how I feel when I look at these and see the pure joy on Millie’s face. Seeing her w/ Sammie just warms my heart to no end to know that she has a friend like that!
I am not kidding, looking at this just makes me want to giggle like a 10 yr old kid who just can’t get it out of his system!
Kate, we are so lucky to have you AND Millie as our partners in crime–and dance! Sammy will be thrilled to see these when she gets up from her nap! Thank you for having your camera there!
Oh my goodnees!!!! You couldn’t have custom ordered a cuter kid. Watching mills and her little buddy makes me smile from ear to ear. Them in the classroom is probably my favorite ever! Love the new look too. 
YAY! this is very exciting! i cant wait to hear all about it!
Mills is the cutest ever!!!! I LOVE the one of her and Samantha in class together. Too CUTE!!!
I’ve been stalking your blog ever since my friend Stephanie Olson posted a link to it from her blog. I’m addicted…but I’ve also been a serious lurker. However, after seeing these pics I could lurk no longer. These are the CUTEST pics ever. You have a gift!
What a big girl! The tutu is to die for!
Passionate subject + passionate photographer = passionate photos. Great, great, great!
haha… love the last one of them lying in the door way… too much fun. can’t wait for my little one to start ballet.
I am loving that last one, too! It had me laughing out loud!
My 5-year-old daughter is a little ballerina and it is just precious to her daddy (me, duh) when she is getting her groove thang on. I love it when she asks me to dance ballet-style with her and then she corrects me like I am her student. ha!
I love #3!! Her skin complexion looks marvelous around the pale blue walls. She looks just like a doll. She has all of mommy’s features!
Wow! Fantastic pics - she is one precious little girl!
I found a link to your site on a fellow photographers site and… well.. being a photographer, I have book marked you and followed your work and seen some incredible shoots! I have no children, I will admit, but now I can see that the day I do, I will have no less thing to blog about then the wonderful bliss of motherhood. You do it oh so well. Thanks for sharing with us your experiences, your joys and real life. It is wonderful.
oh too cute, the last one makes me giggle
Kate - these are awesome! I love how you kept the entire door in photo four instead of cropping it down around Mills - perfection!
Little Ballerina Girl
Mills and her little school chum, Samantha (aka “Sammy”) have decided that they want to be ballerinas. Sammy’s mom and I signed them up for a 6 week summer session to see if it sticks. We shall see about that, but the outfit—it is TO DIE FOR!!! I think I love it almost as much as Millie does. And yes, we have already had temper tantrums regarding taking the outfit off. Homegirl would take her bath in her leotard and tights if we let her.
OOOOHHHHHHH…..I remember when I signed Hannah up for her first ballet class when she was three. I have kept her shoes and leotard and skirt just to remember when she was the little….unfortunately it didn’t stick…..but I sure loved watching those classes…HAVE FUN!!!
Oh she is too PRECIOUS!!! Can I borrow her some day just to see what its like to have a little girl???? Hope she has fun at ballet!
hey i just wanted to let you know (because i dont think i ever have) that your drop-down menus at the top are not fully visible when “dropping down”…. it hides behind your content area (where your posts are).
i love the classic look of this. beautiful!!
Precious! I wouldn’t want to take that outfit off either!
Kate, I freakin’ love the 3rd shot….