Birthday Outing a Triple Play Plus

Our birthday tradition this year to treat the grands to a birthday outing of their choice began with our first birthday outing in March. So far we have been to a play, to a museum, to a movie, back to the museum and, now to another movie. Each of the outings also include eating out at a restaurant of their choice, usually a treat of some kind, and some cash for souvenirs.

Our youngest granddaughter who just turned six used some pretty slick techniques to make her birthday outing a triple play plus.

We started out with a movie. Nanny McPhee Returns. Little "C", Big "P". That's what Nanny McPhee said each time she introduced herself. Great movie by the way! There was only four of us in the movie theater. Nearly a private showing.

Movie concessions included Theater drinks, pretzels from home (sshhh), Starbursts from home (sshhh), and a Nerds Rope from the snack bar.

After the movie, the restaurant of her choice was Taco Bell. Over dinner she quizzed Papa and I on spelling and we spent some time just being silly with her. She then said that she would like to go shopping. We spent about an hour in Target's toy department and she looked at every single toy a few times before making her selection. Papa and I did not rush her and we took the time to look at everything with her. The final purchase was a "Boy Barbie", a "Girl Barbie, and a learning workbook for first graders.

The celebration does not end there. A school night sleepover was planned at Grandma and Papa's house. So, once we were home it was time to shower, brush teeth, and get on her pajamas. "Boy Barbie and Girl Barbie" also hit the showers. All three came out squeaky clean with shampooed hair and freshly scrubbed with body wash. I was happy to see that both Barbies had been showered in their swim suits.

I then sat and did her homework with her. A page of math and some reading. That was a special time for me. We then did two pages in her new first grade workbook. She loved that I signed her homework packet with "Grandma". At bedtime we talked about our outing, sang songs, visited about a family trip we have planned in a couple of days, and we made our plan for in the morning.

It's going to be homemade Mickey Mouse pancakes for breakfast with warmed dipping syrup on the side. And to keep it all about her until the last possible second she wants to watch and wait for the bus inside (the bus stop is at the end of my front walk) while her two sisters and her two boy cousins have to wait outdoors on my front sidewalk. She says she wants to walk out like a Princess when the bus arrives!

This little six year old is a very loving, caring, compassionate, and grateful child for her age. Papa and I received thank you's throughout the evening, and the words "I love you Grandma" were heard no less than 15 times.

It was a wonderful evening of one on one time with our precious granddaughter. I know she felt pretty darn special today which is exactly why we wanted to celebrate the grands birthdays with their very own special birthday outing with Papa and I.