A Magical Evening

Last night, Xylie and I attended "Disney Princesses on Ice - Princess Classics," at the North Charleston Coliseum. I felt like a kid and a first time mommy again at the same time...does that make any sense at all? Probably not, so I'll explain just a bit. The kid part is easy. It was a Disney show. The performances were wonderful, the costumes and characters were beautiful, and the stage design was lovely. The music of course added to the emotion. Plus, the smells of popcorn and cotton candy brought me back to my youth. So in that portion of my heart I was a child.

Now for the "New Mommy" feeling. A strong-willed mommy daughter pairing presents its challenges. And yesterday was full of challenges. About an hour before we were to leave I was so tempted to call one of my friends and say "Would you like two tickets to the Princess show?" As much as I love my daughter, her quest for independence and my fervor to raise her to be a loving and respectful human being have left me feeling defeated on more than one occasion.

But last night, for a few hours those feelings of tension faded. And as spectacular as the show was on the ice, I was enthralled by the show in my daughter's hazel eyes. Only cliches will work to describe them. They sparkled. They danced. They enticed my heart to dance. It was as if I was seeing my precious baby girl for the first time again. I saw her innocence, her zest, her wonderment. I couldn't stop myself from taking a gagillion pictures of her expressions as she was screaming for Snow White to not eat the apple and clapping joyously as Cinderella danced with Prince Charming. During the "Cinderella Moment" she looked over at me with this amazing candid smile that I caught on camera (it is so great that it looks posed). She then kissed my check and said "Mommy, I love you so much. Thank you! Thank you! I am so happy."

I know we don't live in "Happily-Ever-After-Land" and that one fantastic evening does not mean the end of the frustrations that accompany parenthood. Actually, as I write this, Xylie is having a snit about having to clean up her playdoh. But having that special date night with my daughter has reminded me that she is a joy and a gift from God. Not that I ever really forgot that, but it isn't always the first thought on my mind.

I'm glad I took so many pictures of her sweet face last night, the night that she told me was "The happiest time of my life!" Because now I will always have a reminder of what I am sure will remain one of the happiest times of our mother/daughter relationship. I am looking forward to more of those times and know that there are many more ahead!