Peanut in the Big City

Do you want to know the ultimate gift for a 4 year old's birthday?

A little hint: it doesn't come with a bow on it.

Answer: An adventure.

When my sister asked what to give the Peanut for her birthday back in March, we thought long and hard whether now was the right time for {drumroll, please} her Very First Musical.

You see, Molly and I are what you might call Musical Fanatics. As in, see the show. Twice. Buy the cd & listen to it on repeat until you know every single word to Les Miz, Wicked, Rent, Starlight Express, Phantom, Joseph, Grease, Godspell, Evita, etc. etc. etc. We LOVE the theater. Love it.

Molly was cool enough to actually work at First Stage Children's Theater for a while. Of course that had to be back before I had the peanuts. Thankfully she keeps tabs on their schedule and she knew right away that Seussical the Musical would be the perfect introduction for the Peanut to the crazy little obsessive world of musical theater that we adore.

An introduction like this can't just be "go to the show and go home," it had to be an event. And what an event it was:

There was lunch in a restaurant where peanuts fly out of rocketships. Really.

And a feast of "hamyburgers" and french fries with peanut shells all over the floor. And rootbeer!

And chairs made for the giants that must live in this Big City.

And cupcakes as big as your head!

And tractor rides through big empty corporate offices. (The Peanut is now convinced that ad agency execs get to play with toys, ride tractors and skateboards, and watch tv all day. We're going to have to deprogram that thought right out of her head! Mommas, don't let your babies grow up to be account execs. . . )

And more goofy faces and dragon roars and squeals of delight than I can even count.

And after all of that. Seriously, ALL of that, when asked what her very favorite part of the day was?

"Seeing the play. And spending time with Auntie Moe Moe."

Score. Mission accomplished.

And Seussical? Molly was right. She warned me I'd cry. I brushed her off, fool that I am. It was sweet, if perhaps a bit too conceptual for the Peanut. The costumes were amazing, the colors so bright, the music so well done. I would definitely recommend the experience if you're anywhere near Milwaukee before October 16. It was truly the perfect introduction I had hoped for.

And I think I know what the standard birthday gift from Auntie is going to be from now on.