"Precious and priceless, so lovable, too; The world’s sweetest miracle, baby, is you." - Helen Steiner Rice

Lucky me, my curly-haired girl and I got to go on another Mommy-Daughter Date yesterday!

It was a windy, grey, rainy day, so we had to break out the rain boots and winter hat! Off we drove to our church to stop by the rectory for a quick errand, and then we popped over next door to the food pantry where Oma volunteers for a short visit. Along the way, we sang the Daniel Tiger theme song, Wheels on the Bus, 5 Little Monkeys, and Old McDonald.

I asked my little firecracker, did she want to go to the library or to the mall. She loves the library and reading more than almost anything in this world, but she also knows that there's usually Thai noodles and carousels when we go to the mall, so to the mall we went!

Once there, we went straight to the play area, where it was a wild day. Little boys were wrestling, children were running into each other in circles, and it was very busy. My daughter isn't afraid to play next to kids, but she generally plays a little more quietly, so while she was smiling, I could see that she was just taking in all of the raucous behavior.

After playing for a short while, we ventured to the carousel, where we rode around twice. On the first ride, she chose the elephant, which was no surprise. For her second choice, she just couldn't decide. She ran around and around it, looking at and naming the animals over and over again. Finally, I decided on the tiger for her, since it seems to be her favorite animal. She's always excited before and after riding the carousel, but while we ride, she just stares doe eyed at everything around her with absolutely no expression whatsoever.

We jumped into the photo booth for some photos, but it was an epic fail as she had no idea what was happening and I can never place myself in the right spot or look at the right place for the camera in those things. Of course, we had to order some Thai mango chicken and noodles and Mommy's favorite of crab Rangoon. We sat at these little apple tables, but the food court was much too busy to get any photos, and she kept trying to run away with noodles hanging out her mouth.

Finally, we indulged in some ice cream. As she sat on the bench in her abominable snowman hat and ladybug rain boots, with ice cream dripping down her chin as she held her cone, she was the talk of the mall. At least a handful of people walked past and smiled or chuckled and generally they told me how adorable she was. Of course, I know this, but I don't want it to make her vain. ;)

Once home, it was nap time. But not before some puddle jumping. "Puddles! Puddles!" she yelled as she stomped her feet in even the smallest of tiny driveway puddles.

I treasure these days with all of my heart. When I was pregnant with her, and likely long before that, I would drive around town and I would dream of someday driving around with my little girl in the backseat. I imagined how we would sing together or dance, she would ask questions about what she saw outside her window or something she had heard that day, and we would laugh and talk the whole way. And now I store up our giggles and singing and the way she says "Mommy" in my heart. I couldn't ask for sweeter memories than these. ♥