Cinderella
At the carpool pickup
Mare: You’re taking me someplace special, aren’t you?
Me: ??
Mare: Well, Ren’s not with us. Oh, and last night Daddy said (perfect sing-song voice): “I know something you don’t know! I know something you don’t know.” (Back to normal) — So I figure something’s up.
At the theater
Usher: Oh, great, take these tickets and see the third usher down.
Mare: That’s. Wow. That’s really far down. I mean. Wow.
Third Usher: Oh, right here, let me show you.
We stop in front of two seats front row, center.
Mare: This is us?
She looks back over the crowd behind us.
Mare: Wow. I. Wow. I.
Me: Daddy and I wanted to give you a treat.
Lights come up, music starts. We are about six feet from the conductor. We can hear the individual toe shoes thumping the stage. Mare takes a sharp breath. “Do you like it?” I whisper, but she doesn’t hear me. Music, story, dance, color, dresses. Little girl blue, unobstructed view, shining.
This. Is why we work so freaking hard.
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:52 pm
AWW that’s so special..i really mean that but it sounds dopey typing it. Good job mom!
And I do hope you know we all truly are excited for your new lil Sparkle! Even though we act like sore losers cause you won’t tell us the sex. Enjoy this special time as long as you want. We will all be thrilled whenever you tell us
And I know we would love sonogram photos. They are always interesting to look at!
Congrats!
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:30 am
I’m right there with you! Going back to Disney in December, paying out the rediculous amount to stay at a hotel on the monorail for the sheer delight it brings my son. Worth every penny.
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:12 am
I was waiting for this entry! Oh, I hope Mary had a wonderful time.
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:00 am
That’s awesome! She’a a good girl, she deserves it.
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:26 am
You gave your daughter a memory she will never forget. You rock Mama.
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:40 am
That is so wonderful
Front row center is so special too, she will remember it forever!
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:45 am
that is so great. Good for you!!
October 23rd, 2008 at 11:47 am
Moments like this make it all worth it. I need to do something cool for my oldest just in case he’s feeling neglected since Niblet arrived almost 8 weeks ago.
Congrats on Sparkle, and more power to you for keeping the sex a secret. I got extremely tired of “When are you due? What are you having? What’s the name?” Can’t we keep anything to ourselves anymore? I wanted to savor the knowledge and felt harrassed by the well-meaning yet annoying people who asked.
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:36 pm
You are such a great mom; I got all choked up when I read this post. You also made me cry(like actual sobbing and tears) with your post about Mary asking the mean girl at camp “Why are you talking in that voice?” You really empower your girls in the best way.
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:38 pm
How special! Those are the best moments… she’ll remember forever!
October 23rd, 2008 at 4:23 pm
You ARE DaMomma, after all…
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:12 pm
It sounds perfect.
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Wow that’s sounds really amazing… Well done. (And congrats on the pregnancy ! You consider not doing drugs this time ? ;-p )
October 23rd, 2008 at 10:46 pm
my mother died when i was eight. one of the clearest memories i have of her is seeing nutcracker suite together when i was about mary’s age.
October 23rd, 2008 at 11:11 pm
OK, thanks to this post I just ordered Bob the Builder Live tickets for my younger son’s 4th birthday, and I got the extra good seats. He is going to freak out from excitement! How did you keep it a secret? I have to hold it in until the end of January.
October 24th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Beautiful! What a wonderful Mom you are. She’ll always remember this.
October 24th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Absolutely magical. Just reading about it gave me spingles. (spine-tingles)
October 24th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
How lovely for you both.
I am 51. When I was 5 my mother took my sisters and I to see The Nutcracker. I have no idea how they afforded it, but they did and I have never forgotten it. I can still remember it all - the lights, the orchestra and the costumes. There was also a celebrity there. My mother did not know him, but knew we were excited to see him, so she marched us up to him and said “hello …. how are you? I just thought I would introduce my daughters as you’ve not met them yet”. And this delightful gentleman did not miss a beat, thanked her as he had so been looking forward to the introduction and kissed all our hands. Mothers are wonderful creatures!
Mary will treasure this for ever. And so will you!