I was waiting for the stars to be in alignment

Waiting for more time, more money, more energy. In the meantime she watched as the neighbor girls were dressed in their little pink leotards and whisked off to the ever elusive dance and gymnastics classes.

I finally scribbled it on my to-do list:

• Sign Allie up for tumbling

After a weeks worth of homework I settled on a local establishment that came highly recommended. We found a too small hand-me-down leotard from her dress up bin and pulled a little black pair of leggings over the top. A pair of skiddy wampus pigtails finished off the look. She was beaming and donning her new hairdo proudly as we made the short drive but the moment we stepped in the front door I knew I was in over my head.

Pink. Everywhere. Not the color, but the brand. Carefully made up hair with brightly manicured nails wrapped around sparkly cell phones. I smoothed some loose hairs back into my messy ponytail and followed my wonderfully oblivious daughter up the stairs. She pulled off her shoes, socks and leggings, storing them in a cubby with the other shoes. I tucked her princess undies up into her leotard and planted a kiss on the top of her head. I found a comfortable spot at the observation window next to a few of the other mothers.

"Which one is yours?" asked the brunette to my right.

"That one," I said, pointing to Allie who was pulling awkwardly at her snuggie. "And you? Which one is yours?"

"The one in the pink. I started her really late. She's almost 7. I wish I had started her earlier."

The pit in my stomach grew as I looked back to my own 6, going on 7, year old tumbler. Her underwear was fully exposed now, waistband and all. One of her pigtails was slipping and the short hairs at the nape of her neck were flying wildly.

At that moment she did a cartwheel. A really, really good cartwheel. And then she turned to look for me at the big window. Our eyes met and we gave each other a big thumbs up, both of us grinning from ear to ear.

this weeks to-do list:

• Buy Allie a leotard
• Learn how to put in pigtails
• Stop waiting for stars to be in alignment