For Milly’s birthday, Anna and Barry got Milly (and us) tickets to go see a live show of Yo Gabba Gabba. Today was the day.
Amanda had taken the day off work and made waffles for breakfast. Karen had forgotten a doctor’s appointment, so she had to eat and run. Milly didn’t sleep for a while after she was put down for her nap, meaning she didn’t get to sleep much at all since we left the house around 12:30. She was very cryish when Amanda got her up, which was to be expected.
The show was in Raleigh. Amanda drove so I could field any work calls that came in (there were none) and I sat in the back with Milly to try to keep her happy. She spent the entire ride watching The Lion King, and since she wanted to watch Hakuna Matata five or six times the timing worked out perfectly.
Our seats were front row. Ridiculous. We could literally reach out and touch the stage. I thought I recorded the very beginning of the show, but apparently I did not. There wasn’t much to see from Milly’s reaction of it anyway, I was just upset that I missed a good opening to edit once I get all the video compiled and edited down.
Milly’s reaction was in between the two reaction ranges we were expecting. On one end we thought she’d be exuberantly excited, on the other I thought maybe she’s freak out. When DJ Lance came out, she just kind of stared, even though the Progress Energy Center for Performing Arts exploded. When the Gabba friends came out and started dancing she looked almost, but not quite, like she might cry. She didn’t though.
After a song or so I noticed that there were a bunch of kids dancing in the center aisle right in front of the stage, so I took Milly over there, and THAT was when she warmed up. It took her no time to start dancing and hopping around. She did her own dances, she copied other kids’ dances, she even held hands with a few kids and danced with them. It was so stinking sweet. Amanda later told Anna that as great as the seats were we were hardly even in them.
After the intermission, Biz Markie came out and did Biz’s Beat of the Day, and then they let some kids onstage. Milly was near the stairs already and she got to go up there. She was one of, if not the, smallest kids up there. She was great though. A few kids just kind of froze, but Milly was dancing and bopping around. Amanda and I were so excited for her, probably a lot more than she was herself. We got pictures any videos, and I think this is something we’ll enjoy showing her over the years.
They dropped a lot of stuff on us at the show. When it started they dropped a bunch of confetti. When they sang about the fall they dropped a bunch of paper leaves. Then when they sang about winter they dropped a ton of small white confetti. It piled up in our laps and in our hair. Amanda got some out of her shirt when she went to he bathroom later and when she took her boots off this evening there was yet some more.
The show finished with Goodbye, of course. Afterwards we got to go to a little meet the characters thing. Milly’s tiredness was starting to show and she was pretty shy when taking pictures with the characters, which isn’t a huge surprise. When DJ Lance came out, walked around the room and read a story, she was more interested in playing with some soft blocks. We had a great time though, and Amanda got to get a picture with Biz Markie. He looked bored part of the time, but Biz, if by some strange chance you happen to read this, thanks for entertaining my kid and millions of other kids. I would have told him that if I was the one standing next to him for the picture, but I didn’t want to hold up the line and take a whole mess of pictures of him.
Milly was a little testy on the way back. She’d hardly slept and had a very stimulating day, so I’m sure she was kind of crashing. We stopped at a BoJangles to grab some dinner then headed on home. I drove and Amanda, prone to motion sickness, was up front too, but Milly eventually found entertainment in hopping around different movies on the iPad and playing some games.
We got home a little after 7:30 (special shout out to Bonnie for feeding our boys and letting them out!) and Milly was in bed a little after 8:00. She was very, I don’t know, weird, about going to bed. She’s been like this lately. It’s like she’ll get in bed, but then she wants to do this or do that or move around or play with something. I guess that’s normal, but it’s something she’s only just now starting.
Anyway, Amanda and I watched the second episode of Once Upon a Time then she watched some TV while I went ahead and edited the pictures from today. She’s in bed now and I may soon be following her. I’m beat.
We had a great day though. Thanks a bunch, Anna and Barry.
Zach Dotsey