Last night was a night I hope not to forget for a long time.

Andrew got us tickets to the musical Cinderella, along with the additional ticket for the pre-party with Ariel, Elsa and Belle.

We were all so incredibly excited!

We had no idea ahead of time which princesses we were going to meet, but when Eliza Jane came around that little corner and saw that beautiful yellow gown…”My see BELLE!  Momma! My see Belle!!”  Her eyes and face were lit up with glee.

First we got to meet Ariel, and Eliza Jane was a little shy with her.

Then Elsa was next.

And then moment she’d been waiting for…a chance to hug Belle.

I have to say, I was really, REALLY proud of her for sitting and taking a picture with her!

After we met the princesses, they did a little etiquette class teaching us how to properly clap and say, “bravo”.

And then this is when Eliza Jane started crying because Cinderella wasn’t there and we’d built this up to be all about Cinderella and “other” princesses.   It was nearly a #momfail but we pulled it together and got excited again about the anticipation of seeing the most beautiful of all princesses.

I told it over and over again to my girlfriends today how great Eliza Jane did thru the play last night.  She sat on my lap, completely fixated on what was happening on the stage.  Turning her head just so, so that she could get the perfect view of “My Cin-rella”.  In those brief moments where Cinderella wasn’t on stage I heard, “My Cin-rella?  Where my Cin-rella?  Where my Cin-rella go?”  And I would have to reassure her that the princess would return.

During intermission we took a break to watch Curious George with a sweet little girl sitting next to us.  She told me she was four, and loved M&Ms.  She even shared a few with Eliza Jane.

I tried to get her to laugh or even smile…but this was the best she would do.  In my heart I knew she could make it through the second act, but I have to admit that I was a little nervous that a breakdown was just around the bend.

As the second act started, I said a little prayer that she would make it through to the end.  Throughout the play I told her how proud I was of her – that she was doing great and hoped she was having fun.  “Ummhmmm, my Cin-rella” was often her reply.

The play itself was fantastic.  It’s been since I was a little girl that I saw this version of it, and not much did I remember.  There was laughter and surprise!  The creative “magic” was truly wonderful to witness.

I’m pretty sure I was more excited than Eliza Jane last night.  The anticipation of seeing her face as she got to see princesses along with Cinderella nearly sent me over the moon.  By the end of the play I was slouched down in my seat, with her head on my chest, but so that she could still see her “Cin-rella”.   I imagined her loving it and I think she did.  She talked about it on the way home and was so sweet telling her daddy all about the princesses once we were there.  She even wanted to sleep in her princess dress, but we decided that there would be an overload of glitter in her bed if we said yes…

Today as I picked her up from daycare, her teacher said that they had called her Cinderella all day.  I’m not sure if that’s because she talked about the princess all day long or what.  But I sure hope she felt like a princess last night…

Hoping you have a wonderful evening…we’re half-way through the work week!

much love,