Dancing queen

Now as many of you might know I have been desperate to send Eloise to ballet lessons. I have waited patiently for her to turn three. Whilst she was having her nap on her birthday I called a dance school and booked her in for a trial lesson. Neil couldn't come today as Mick, the handyman, was here taking a look at the electrics as we had been without a supply of electricity to the fridge, microwave, radio or anything we wished to plug into the wall on a circuit for 36 hours which then mysteriously started working an hour before Mick turned up. Anyway I digress. I got the impression from Neil that dance lessons are to be my domain so imagine my suspicion when he said he was sorry he could't come along. Anyway Eloise and I went alone. On the way in the car I explained that the lesson was only a trial and that it wouldn't be a problem if Eloise didn't like the lesson. Lucky she couldn't see my face.

The lesson is called Creative Movement, as ballet starts when they go to primary school. There were five other girls in the class all in matching leotards with an integral skirt. The dance room has a floor to ceiling mirror at one end, which of course all the little girls love. There is a bar on one side of the room which Eloise thought was for swinging on. The lesson was based on teddy bears this week. Halfway through the lesson Eloise realised she was dressed differently to all the other girls and asked for a purple dress. She loved the lesson to my delight. I would have been devastated if she hadn't. This afternoon we went to a dance shop and Eloise tried on a leotard and we were told was far too big for her so they are ordering the next size down. I thought Eloise was going to have a very public temper tantrum when we asked her to take it off but luckily the lady in the shop explained she needed to change in order to try on the ballet shoes. It was an effort getting the leotard off her but there was only low grade whinging. The ballet shoes are the smallest they stock and should last her for quite some time.

The other exciting theng that happened today was Eloise took herself off to the toilet for a wee and a poo before her bath. Also she is sleeping nappy free for her lunchtime naps.

Things seem to be getting to a head on the permanent residency front. We have had an email from Immigration telling us to organise to be out of Australia. We have booked flights to Auckland and are trying to find some accommodation that will suit our needs.