A Mommy Daughter Date

Anna Kate has just recently discovered chapter books.  By the recommendation of some friends, and my own memories from childhood, we checked out a couple of the Frog and Toad books from the library.  She has been captivated by the stories, giggling uncontrollably one minute, and looking at me with her big sad eyes the next, wondering if everything will turn out alright (it always does!).

Well, Thursday we heard that the children's musical A Year with Frog and Toad was coming to our local fine arts center!  It was scheduled for Saturday afternoon at 2pm (right in the middle of naptime), but I knew that we couldn't pass up the opportunity!  So I told Anna Kate and she has been so excited for the last two days that she has hardly talked about anything else.  But then, this morning, I received a call from the library that we had won their drawing this week for two free tickets!  Perfect!  Anna Kate didn't care of course, because she knew she as going anyway, but I was excited!

Anyway, I woke her up early from her nap, we kissed Daddy goodbye (who was staying home with Caroline), and we headed out on our date.

Here's a little self-portait we took while waiting for the show to begin!

 

I had never seen A Year with Frog and Toad, but let me tell you, it did not disappoint either one of us!  I thought it was super cute and Anna Kate just could not believe that she was seeing the stories from the books in real life up on the stage! 

Afterward, Anna Kate got to meet all of the characters in the lobby and have them autograph her program.  She was a little star-struck at first, but was very polite as she went down the line asking each one to sign their names.  But then, after she was finished, she saw the table of princess crowns and tiaras on sale from the Columbia Children's Theater.  She just had to have one.  And I figured that since we won free tickets, we could spend the $5 on a tiara.  And then she saw the Frog and Toad coloring book.  And she looked up at me with those big blue eyes...and it was only $2!  Ok, the coloring book too.  But then, she saw some other children back over where the cast was signing autographs, and the characters were signing their coloring books!  So then we had to go back through the line again and have all of the characters sign her coloring book!  She was just too excited, so how could I say no?  The cast all thought it was pretty funny that she came through twice, but they indulged her =)  Frog and Toad even teased her and called her "Anna Cake" which she thought was pretty funny.  And they were kind enough to pose for a picture!

 Frog (L) and Toad (R) with Anna Kate (wearing her tiara and holding her autographed coloring book!)

We had such a fun afternoon and I know that she will remember it for a long time to come.