Special Day
A few years ago, Cute Redhead and the boys managed some weekend away (skiing, I think) leaving myself and The Princess of Space, Time, and Dimension to fend for ourselves and see how high we could stack the dirty dishes in forty-eight hours. At some point I announced that we’d do Something Special, just she and I, to commemorate the all-too-rare time together, just the two of us.
And we did. I don’t recall exactly what it was we did because it was several years ago and we’ve had quite a few of these days since. What I do recall, however, was the way my purchasing for Her Majesty something special galvanized the experience in her little heart and mind as an opportunity to have daddy buy her something *rolls eyes*.
Thereafter, every Special Day is (not my first rodeo) another chance to see how deep daddy’s pockets really are.
This one started with breakfast together at our favorite new hangout. That’s Miss Girl watching some other kids. Boys, I’m sorry to announce. See that stainless steel travel cup there? Me and my buddy Bill stood in line at FIVE A.M. the morning this bakery opened for the first time and won them. Not particularly worth standing in the falling snow at five a.m., is it? Didn’t think so. What if I told you we get free coffee for a year, though? (Mm hm. Thought so.)
“Daddy, I have a list of things you could buy me. You can pick two.”
This was when I told her I thought we’d just browse the hardware store instead (kidding).
We waited outside for the candy shop to open. She came up with a “Great Idea, Daddy! Let’s Play Tag!”
But not until I’m done watching those boys over there.
Okay, not going to lie to you…this face killed me. Something about the mix of curiosity and caution, doubt and intrigue all wrapped up into one. I’m not sure. What I am sure of, though, is that I wanted to protect her from every boy, every date, every heartbreak and every tear in the world.
Good thing those boys left soon after that.
There’s an old 70′s song called Sweet Life, by Paul Davis. It starts out “She’s got your eyes…she’s got my nose…” And she does. She has her momma’s eyes and my nose. Great in the eye department, rather wanting in the nose department. Sorry about that, child. Daddy’s got a smallish nose.
Actually, it looks better on her than it ever did on me.
We had breakfast, hit a few shops, bought her a certain something she’d been wanting for a long time, played tag in the middle of the park, visited an antique store, and then made our way to one of those ceramic shops where you get to choose your ware and paint it yourself. The boys had ones of their own and Emma, being the last in a series, seemed to have gotten overlooked. Such is the misfortune of the baby in the family. At times.
Time to right that wrong.
I love this picture. I love that face.
She is very much the artist among the three. Which is quite a big deal when you consider that I come from a family of artists going back several generations. Alpha Male is our musical genius. Beta Male is our primary athlete. But Charlie Girl quite cornered the market on the artistic mediums. I am, of course, immensely proud of all three of them.
And, again, I love this picture. I know what it is to sit straight up and tilt the head and consider that last stroke of the brush. Judge and jury, that look.
Finishing touches.
Back outside for a few more shops, a stop at the library and seeing how high she can toss the pillow for her bed I bought her. “That’s pretty high, honey.”
And in all of this? All the stores, the ceramics, the antiques, the breakfast, the conversation, the boys, the purchase…
…as she recounted the day (half a dozen times) to whoever found themselves in earshot?
Do you know what she loved the most?
…when we played tag in the middle of park.
That made my heart glow. And when I took this photo, giving her a head start…
…Time Froze again, and all I could think of was how kids grow up and fly away. And how little by little, day by day, my baby girl is making her way out of the nest and into the wider world.
And that made my heart bleed.
Stop it! Stop it! This is torture. Making me cry two days in a row….
Seriously?! Tears flowing!
Choked up my lunchtime.
(not my lunch)
Reminded me of the song “Gracie” by Ben Folds.
Good tune. And yes, I lamented too. And Beth and I don’t even have kids yet!
I do love that song. Sometimes I hear it sing all the way through…sometimes I have to turn it off because I break apart. Kids are a a gift beyond words :)
Carl, glad you liked it. I’m not familiar with “Gracie,” but I am familiar with Ben Folds’ “We’re Still Fighting It” and I can barely hold it together on that one. But I’ll find it and be brave.