Pretty much a perfect day

What else could you call a day that began with Rachel and I Skyping with Lisa (she's 10 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time, so it was just about dinnertime for her when we rang) and ended with the two of us dancing around the attic after having had a pizza-and-movie night?

The centerpiece of our day: I surprised Rachel with tickets to "Pinkalicious," a musical version of one of her favorite books. She'd seen it with her class when it came to town earlier this year, but it's back for a short return engagement. Rachel saw a flyer for it one day while we were out shopping, and I told her that "maybe" we could go see it while Mom was away.

So after we finished our Skype call with Lisa, Rachel asked what we were doing today, and I responded by telling her I had a surprise and pulling out the tickets. She asked what they were for, and I said, "Why don't you try reading it?" She got as far as "Pink..." when the light bulb popped on over her head. She shouted "Pinkalicious!" and danced around the living room in joy.

Before the show we took advantage of the rare non-rainy November day and hit the Portland Farmers Market, one of the last ones of the year. I picked up some ingredients for duck soup (one of Rachel's favorites, which I plan to make for next week's Shabbat dinner), and Rachel had an al fresco lunch (some fontina cheese, a very tasty "pretzel roll" from Delphina's bakery, a pear and part of a pumpkin-chocolate-chip cookie). As is often the case people kept giving Rachel things -- a little red change purse left behind at one stall, a fistful of colorful wool at another. I like to think they appreciate a polite, well-behaved child when they see one.

Then onto the show. For those of you without little girls in your lives, "Pinkalicious" is about the title character, a girl who loves all things pink. She eats too many pink cupcakes and turns pink all over, a condition (called "pinkititis") that can only be reversed by eating green foods. I can honestly say I've never been in one place with so many girls in so much pink. The show was actually pretty well done, and Rachel had a great time. Afterward we stood in line to meet the cast and get autographs, and when I mentioned that this was her second time one of the actors asked "Was it as much fun as last time?"

"Better!" Rachel said with a super-wide grin.

Then we popped down to Powell's for some book-reading, and then I sprang the second surprise of the day on her: I suggested that she and I have a pizza-and-movie night, and she could pick whatever kid movie she wanted. I think she could scarcely believe her luck -- she exclaimed "That's the best idea I ever heard in my whole life!" So we departed for the video store (one of the few remaining in Portland, alas), where after much deliberation she settled on the same "Barbie and the Magic Pegasus" movie that we all watched a few weeks ago (and about which Lisa has already blogged). After it was over, and while the end credits were rolling, she and I pretended to be the lead characters and reenacted the ice-dancing scene that closed the movie.

All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better day with my sweet girl.