The Nutcracker

Yesterday Greta and I enjoyed a girls' night out with friends Emma and Sasha (and their moms). We attended the New York Theatre Ballet's family performance of The Nutcracker at our South Orange Performing Arts Center. For days I had tried to prep her for proper behavior; we talked about being polite as a princess, sitting quietly, and using a whisper voice if she had to say anything.

Wearing a lovely Laura Ashley dress and ballerina pink shoes, Greta looked quite pretty, and received many compliments from Daddy, Mommy, and her friends. I reminded her before the show began of the manners we had discussed. She seemed to remember the rules quite well, sitting quietly in my lap, clapping as appropriate, and whispering when she asked a question. All was going well until there was a brief lull in the music during The Fir Forest sequence. I guess she just could not contain herself any longer, as she sat up straight, leaned forward, and pointed at the stage. She excitedly informed the entire audience: "Mommy, I am as pretty as the Snow Queen!" I hugged her back to me with a little "shhh" and whispered, "prettier, princess, prettier."