Friday Tradition: Ballet and Pancakes

When I went back to work after maternity leave, I went back "part time." (Part time, as defined by my work, is 35+ hours a week. But I digress...)

So, I work four days a week and have Fridays off. We always called Fridays "Mommy and Molly Days." We'd run errands, sometimes meet Daddy for lunch, and sometimes just nap. As you got older, we even started having playdates on Fridays.

Then last September, you started ballet lessons at your school. I was so excited. I was a dancer and your grandma (my mommy) was a dancer. I hoped you would enjoy dancing as much as we did.

Of course, ballet was before school started -- so we had to be in our leotard and leg warmers, ready to go at 7:30... A.M. -- in the morning.

But I got to stay and watch you. A small mommy luxury. And I treasured every minute. (And took about 1,000 photos.)

After your first lesson, because you did such a great job (and because it was only 8:15), I said, "Molly, you were a great listener. Where would you like to go to breakfast?" The answer I expected was "the bagel store" (a.k.a. Panera Bread) - where we go with Daddy on Saturday mornings.

The answer I got: "Pancakes at McDonald's!!!"

I didn't even know you knew McDonald's had pancakes... but ok, let's go. So we went and had pancakes. And you enjoyed them this much...

The next week, another mommy and ballerina joined us... then another. And they became very good friends over the course of eight months of Ballet and Pancake Fridays.

Ballet starts again next week and you are so excited. You really do love to dance, which thrills me to no end. It must be like when you and Daddy play catch - he loves that. And so another year of Ballet and Pancake Fridays begins. (You and your friend Abby already have told me this is the plan.)

This will be our last year of Mommy and Molly Fridays. Next year, you'll start kindergarten and I'll go back to work five days a week. But I will always cherish our special Mommy and Molly Days.

Love you, peanut.