May-Mama & Kennedy's Special Day

5/10/08

Getting her nails painted

Acting like the Statue of Liberty with her Red Robin balloon

As I've mentioned before, Jordan and I alternate months where we pick a Saturday and take JUST Kennedy out to do something special. She gets just Daddy or just Mama all to herself. And, we get her all to ourselves.

May was my turn with Kennedy. I look so forward to these special days.

This time I took Kennedy to get her nails painted. She was beyond excited and I told her she could pick any color she wanted. When I heard the lady say "green with sparkles" I knew that would be THE one! For any of you who are familiar with the book "Fancy Nancy" well, need I say more? That's my Kennedy spot on. Afterwards, they gave her a sticker and she tore it down the middle and gave me half!! Aww! What a sweetheart. So, now that we had green polish with sparkles, we headed to Red Robin for lunch.

We've only been there one other time-the 4 of us had dinner there when it opened and I was 9 months pregnant with Chandler Grace. I remember thinking I didn't care if I ever ate there again. I recalled the food being bad, the service being bad-did I say I was 9 months pregnant?? Getting a balloon and seeing the Red Robin mascot was all Kennedy needed to fall in love with the place and she has begged to go back ever since.

I told her she could pick anything on the kiddie menu. She looked at the pictures and decided on the hamburger. I told her she could order all by herself. So, when our waiter came, she told him she'd have the hamburger. He asked what she wanted on it, and she answered, "Mustard". I know she also likes ketchup and cheese, so I say, "Kennedy, would you like ketchup?" She says, "Oh yeah, ketchup!" When I say, "What about cheese?" She looks very serious and says, "No cheese, just the ham". I thought I would fall out of the booth laughing! I could not believe she said that-even our young waiter couldn't help himself from laughing! Then she cuts her eyes up to the waiter and says (pointing a finger) "Extra pickles". I could not believe her-extra pickles? Nobody in our family ever orders extra anything-she constantly comes up with all kinds of things which keep us entertained.

Now, how do you top that order? I'll tell you. After he asks, "Anything else?" She then points to the chicken tenders and says, "And this". I quickly say, "No, we'll just go with the hamburger today!" That's my girl-just like her Mama-she loves food!

Of course, she had to get a "fancy drink" and picked the Freckled Lemonade which is lemonade with strawberries in it and comes in a curvy glass.

Kennedy looked around as we waited for our food and says, "Man, this place sure is fancy!"

Bless her heart! Maybe all of the eclectic art on the walls and sounds from TV and radio-all of the "busy" she attributed to being fancy. I just think it was her way of saying she liked it.

Now for the best part of the whole day. While we were eating, Kennedy with ketchup and mustard smeared on her face says, very sincerely, "I love you, Mom". Ah, it melted my heart.

After we finished our lunch, I let her pick out the desert-and my girl did not disappoint! She chose, to my delight, the Mile High Mud Pie. It was HUGE! We did our best, but we took the rest home to a thankful Daddy and Jackson! Before we left, I took her picture with her balloon.

What a great day! Memories I will carry with me forever. I hope she will, too.