Rowes Do the Boston Ballet

Today was an exciting one for the girls: they got to leave school early and head downtown to see Boston Ballet's production of "The Nutcracker!"

Madeleine was SO excited.  As we exited the school, she exclaimed in delight, "I can't BELIEVE we're getting to go Boston to see the NUTCRACKER!"

Julia was quick to shoot down Madeleine's enthusiasm.  "Going to Boston is not such a big DEAL, Madeleine.  It's not like we've never been there before."

Nothing could dampen Madeleine's spirit, however, and she was so full of energy on our train ride into Boston that she forgot how to act like a civilized human being.  She decided we should play "Twenty Questions" and then proceeded to give her answers to the questions at such a volume that I'm sure the entire trainload of people could hear her.  She also seemed to have forgotten how to sit in a seat normally, and instead chose to slump her body down with her legs up in the air, the skirt of her dress hiked up so her tights were on full display.  Sigh.  At least Julia managed to conduct herself like a socialized human being.

Ethan met us at the train stop and we all headed over to the Boston Opera house together for the performance.  As the ballet began, the girls began watching in awe, although Madeleine apparently thought we were watching the super-abbreviated version of the show.  As the first scene came to an end, only a few minutes into the performance, and the audience began clapping, Madeleine turned to me and whispered, "Mama, is it over??"

At the intermission, I bought the girls gingerbread cookies, and as we got into our seats, Madeleine got herself into her classic relaxation position.  For anyone who has ever watched her snuggled in a blanket on the couch, watching tv and eating a snack, this was the ballet-watching equivalent.  With my coat over her lap as a blanket, her face smeared with frosting from her cookie, and her Nutcracker crown,:

she settled in to watch the second half.

Julia, who inhales her food, was already completely done with her gingerbread cookie by the time the curtain rose.

Madeleine got a little antsy during the final few scenes, but luckily the "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy" got her attention back on track.

MADELEINE: Mama?  Is it almost over? Oh! I *love* this song!  (Loudly humming along to the music) Dun-dun dun dun dun dun dun-dun-dun, dun-dun-dun...
ME: Shhhh...
MADELEINE: (humming along at a slightly lower volume)

Can't take this kid anywhere.

When the ballet was over, we all walked over to Ethan's office so he could gather his things and head home for the day with us.  The girls desperately wanted to be the ones to open his office doors, so he gave them a word of advice.

ETHAN: Open the left-most door.  The one on the right doesn't work very well.
MADELEINE: Daddy, have you ever BEEN here before?
ME: Madeleine, this is Daddy's office.  He WORKS here.

That was proof enough to convince Madeleine to use the door on the left.

Julia was enthralled by Ethan's office (despite the fact that we have visited before.)  The foosball table, the bean bag chair, the balance board, and the two dogs who had come to work with their owner were paradise for her.

JULIA: I really LOVE Daddy's work!  Because they have all kinds of fun TOYS here!

The convenience store in the lobby of Ethan's office building put Julia over the edge.  She gazed through the window at the rack of candy inside.

JULIA: (in rapture) Wait.  You have your OWN PERSONAL CANDY ROOM?!?


Yup.  All they have to do is pay the cashier the required amount of money and they can get any candy they want.

During our train ride back home, Ethan entertained Madeleine by letting her use the voice command on his phone to look things up.

MADELEINE: Okay, Google, show me a comet!

As Madeleine and Ethan gazed at pictures of a comet, Madeleine thought to ask what would happen if a comet fell down onto a person.  Ethan gave an honest answer.  Which then led to the most sociopathic question anyone has asked Google.

MADELEINE: Okay, Google, show me a picture of a person live on fire.

Ethan snatched the phone away the moment the images loaded, and that was the end of that game.

We are all back home now, snug in our cozy pjs, enjoying our official start of the holiday break!