Special Day

Kate's birthday is coming up, so we decided to take her into New York City to have lunch at the American Girl Doll store. For those unfamiliar, this is a ridiculously huge store that sells merchandise related to ... American Girl ... dolls. And has a restaurant inside!


I woke up to hear Kate moving about her room, with various thuds and drawers opening and closing. I came out to find her dressed, in a nice purple dress that I hadn't seen since her first day of school a year ago, with a band holding her hair back. She was holding her American Girl doll, also wearing a dress and hairband. Ready to go, I asked. She nodded, "Yes, I just need to brush our teeth."

In the kitchen, Kate sang "Today is a special day...a special day..."

We took the train in, Emily, me, Kate, and her American Girl doll (also called Emily). Jack was at a friend's house. On the train, all the way in, we played I Spy, and Going on a Picnic.

At the store, Kate flitted about from display to display. "Ooh, look at THIS....and THIS...." She was most intrigued by the little stuffed dogs. We ordered one of them once and it was kind of lame, so we sent it back. But one of these, at least, was nicer, so we put that in the back of our mind for Christmas.

Naturally, "Emily" got her own hairbrush, and various hair accoutrements so she could have braids, and a clothing outfit.

Lunch was a very nice affair where we got several courses, including pastries, fruit, and of course chocolate milk. Kate was a little on edge here and there, but by the time dessert came, with a candle on hers, she was happy as could be.

Heading home from the store, she was tired, and I carried her. She put her head on my shoulder, and her American Girl doll's head on my other shoulder, and sighed. She was warm, a nice warm.

On the train, she lay down with her head on Emily's lap, and "Emily's" head on her lap, and sang something. Not exactly sure what it was, but it might have been, "Today was a special day ...a special day..."