Girls’ Day Out
February 16, 2009 by nina
Filed under Mommy Monday
As I post this, Kali and I have had three Girls’ Day Out. For those just joining us, I decided to take a cue from my best friend, Sophie, and designate some mandatory mother-daughter time for Kali and me each week.
Every Sunday morning we go out for hot chocolate, and then do something together. It just so happened that each week that something else has been shopping. Our first Sunday together we went to the IHOP that’s about five minutes from our house and ordered hot chocolate and breakfast. One sip in, and I knew it was an excellent idea. Their hot chocolate is delicious!
After breakfast, we headed over to Old Navy to check out a massive sale they were having. Probably ’cause we felt a little guilty, we ended up buying more stuff for Donny and Jack than ourselves.
I remembered that Sophie said she used Girls’ Day Out with her daughter, Zoe (5), to discuss things that she may need to work on like being nicer to her little brother or following directions. I wanted to bring up some issues I had with a friend Kali made at school who I feel was a bad influence, but I thought I’d ease into that on another Sunday. Don’t want to turn her off from G.D.O before it really gets started, you know?
The next week, we did our usual IHOP breakfast with hot chocolate and then went off to Ulta because Mommy needed make-up and Barnes & Noble so that I could get some writing magazines, and Kali could pick out a book. I tried to convince her to get her hair done (and even offered to get mine done as well – “Donny, I had to! I had to show her that it would be okay!”), but she’s never had her hair professionally done, and she was a bit apprehensive.
Yesterday, on our third outing, we decided to mix things up a bit. Jack was being particularly fussy so I asked Kali if she’d mind him coming with us to give Daddy a break. She was all for it! Another change came when Kali announced she’d rather go to Dunkin Donuts, right across the street from IHOP, instead for our hot chocolate.
We were a bit disappointed to find that their hot chocolate machine was broken, and we settled on chocolate milk for Kali and a coffee for me. We each got a breakfast sandwich and one donut. While we ate, an older white gentleman arrived on a motorcycle. He sat across the store enjoying his coffee and donut and occasionally smiling our way.
On a trip to the men’s room, located right behind us, he stopped at the table next to us where a woman was having breakfast with her two young girls. She was snapping pics of them with a digital camera and the stranger offered to take a pic of the three of them together. She refused, he insisted, and she politely refused again. He gave up and went to the bathroom, but not before stopping to pat Jack on his head. My mommy radar pinged like crazy.
“Kali, finish up, we’re leaving.”
She didn’t ask any questions and did as she was told. I had ordered a sandwich and coffee for Donny and by the time we were ready to go, it still wasn’t ready. The stranger was back at his table and smiled our way as we waited by the door. After a moment, he got up holding his coffee cup and came over to us. Jack was strapped into his car seat which was sitting on the floor. He knelt down and asked how old he was.
“Six months,” I answered.
“He’s beautiful. Though I suppose the proper word is handsome.”
“Thank you.”
The entire time Jack is looking at him like, “Do I know you?”
“And you, you’re a knockout,” he said turning to Kali. If he touched her, I had made up my mind I would punch him in the junk. Thankfully, he didn’t.
Knockout? I didn’t think that was appropriate.
“Your Dad’s gonna need to get a bodyguard.”
“He already has a shotgun,” I said playing along, but not really.
He laughed and returned to his table where he prepared to go. Our food was ready, but I waited till he was outside strapping on his helmet before I went to retrieve it and even then, I waited until he got on his bike before I prepared to leave.
“What are we waiting for?”
“Him to leave.”
“Why?”
“I don’t trust him.”
“He was just being friendly.”
“Overly friendly.”
“I thought friendly was a good thing.”
“Depends on who you ask.”
“I’m asking you.”
“In his case, no. Friendly is not a good thing.”
I’ve been enjoying our conversations on G.D.O. Not all are so serious. On our first outing, while we sipped hot chocolate and waited for our breakfast we played 20 Questions. I went first.
It took Kali about 13 questions to correctly guess puppy. Halfway through, neither of us were sure which number question we were on. When it was her turn, I started with the basics and finally asked, “Can you ride in it?”
“No,” she giggled, “but it would be funny if you could.”
“Kali, you’re supposed to just say yes or no.”
“Sorry,” she said giggling again.
“What question are we on?”
“I don’t remember. We should probably just called it Questions ’cause we’re not very good at keeping track.”
True dat.
We were about 17 questions in, and I was getting nowhere. Kali, though, was laughing her ass off.
“Is it a part of your body?”
“It can be.”
I was too frustrated and confused to scold her for breaking the rules. Then I got a sneaking suspicion.
“Does it have eyes?”
“Yes… the biggest brown eyes I ever did see!” she exclaimed, not able to help herself, and sounding like Laura Ingalls.
“Kali. Is it Jack?”
“Yes!”
Silly goose.
Nina is a 34-year-old mother, wife and writer who spends her days blogging, studying, changing diapers and watching ridiculous amounts of TV. She currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, two children and three TiVos.
Father Dance for Girl Scouts? My daughter did this for, hmmm, I think 1st grade through 6th. Moms can’t go -- only chaperone. I never chaperoned. But, boy did I take charge in the dress/shoes department, oh and the corsage! They went for dinner (Spaghetti Factory), to the dance, then out for ice cream. A ritual for years. We have wonderful pictures as proof. The only one-on-one time I have with the kids is usually pedicures w/my daughter which is too far apart (both of our toes lookin’ drastic), and shopping with my growing son (fun waiting while he tries on clothes in the dressing room.
LOL ~ How ironic, my kids hated loud music too -- history now! Son is in a rock band. Daughter plays in the school band. It passes.
Enjoy the sweet moments and talks.
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LikeOhhhh you do this on Sunday.....I missed that part somewhere down the line.
You are on course to a strong, trusting and loving mother/daughter relationship when she reaches those teen years.
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Likelove this story! very sweet!
Kali's awesome...
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LikeThat guy did sound a bit weird- but it's so hard to tell these days. I bet mummy instinct is bang-on, though!
I nearly had a shit fit today when I went to order a desk and chair from Ikea- they wanted £60- yes SIXTY POUNDS- to deliver them. 9 months ago I had 11 large furniture items delivered by Ikea and they charged me £15. Now I want 2 piddly things and they want £60- aaaargh!
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LikeWe had GDO today. We went to the library. I like the free Girls Days! What we talked about today was whining. I have been cutting her some slack b/c she's been under the weather, but it's really been bad lately.
Anyway, glad you and Kali had a fun time. Chester experience excluded.
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LikeI think G.D.O is fantastic. My Mother and I used to have Girl Day when I was younger. Some of my favorite memories are those days. We had a Girl Day right before I left for Texas, and it was cool because it felt like she had used all those times before to help mold me into the woman I am today, and we were sitting theere having lunch not just as mother and daughter, but as friends.
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LikeSee, that's really sweet. I hope Kali has fond memories of us that way.
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LikeI love the very concept of a Father-daughter dance!! I can't wait until Gabby is in a bigger school and I hope they do these! How sweet for Donny! He sounds like he is such a great dad to have! Way better than DJ caramel pants...
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LikeLMAO @ DJ caramel pants.
100x the man/father DJ Spermdonor could ever be. No question.
I hope they do something for mother/sons too.
But, poor Donny, Kali won't dance and she has a thing about loud music (she hates it) and just ends up running around with her girlfriends while the Dads stand around. But every year I get a kickass pic of the two of them all dressed up.
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LikeMy daughter hates loud sounds too. I'm hoping she outgrows it soon. That and her aversion to Jeans. Seriously, the girl looks adorable in a pair of blue jeans, she has a little bum to fill em out, not like alot of kids who have saggy bottoms.
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LikeThe girl's day out is a great idea because she's almost at the age when she'll not want to be seen within a hundred feet of you. When it turns into "Mom, can you drop me off at the mall?" instead of "Mom, can we go to the mall?" you'll be glad to have these hopped up on hot chocolate Mother-Daughter memories.
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LikeOh my God, you're so right!
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LikeDei's father is flying in on Sat to go to the Father/Daughter dance with her on Saturday...i think it will be one of those memories that stay with her forever. We live damn near in Stepford so she is the only kid in a class of 26 whose father doesnt live in the home...so having him there means everything to her. Plus she has issues that she doesnt look like me...she is his kid for sure, so she likes people noticing that too.
GDO is the best, my mom took me to CC Brown's every Friday for 4 years...its gone now but I loved it. I think I need to change Dei's up Im tired of Qdoba's and Build A Bear is an expensive habit
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LikeYeah, I think Kali has outgrown Build-A-Bear and I'm not tryna spend money every Sunday. Last week, I spent $120! $30 @ IHOP, $60 @ Barnes and Noble (I did renew my yearly membership so that was the bulk of that tab) and another $30 at Ulta for a lip gloss, some eyeliner, mascara, and a lip bleaching cream.
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LikeAww, I love your mommy blogs.
Isn't it a shame in this day and age that we have to be so suspicious? 30 years ago we would have just assumed he was a sweet old man, now you have to be worried that everyone's a pedophile. Because more and more often they actually are...
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LikeExactly. You don't want to be suspicious, but you don't want to be a victim either.
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LikeI try to do Mommy & Me time with my daughter every week too. We have done alot of fun things. We go to different shows, the aquarium, stuff like that. I am always on the lookout for festivals and things in the local paper.
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LikeI think next Sunday we may get our hot chocolate at Starbucks in B&N and just sit and read.
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LikeI can't wait to do special dates with my kids. Before I left for the USA, Sol and I walked to the playground together, it was the first time we had really done something just the two of us and now that he is getting so big and communicative, it was so much fun. We chatted on and on about everything - and of course I got lost trying to find my way around the block but when we found the playground he looked up at me and said, "High five mommy!"
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LikeYeah, that's such a great time when they're able to carry on small conversations. You start to look at them less like babies and more like little people.
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LikeI remember how often strangers from all walks of life wanted & asked to pet my baby sister when I used to walk her around as a toddler. I never did though unless they looked harmless. Girls' Day Out does sound like fun b/w you & your daughter, and now that you mention it I need to hit up Macy's since they're having some major sale that ends today. Not that I really any need clothes, but I have problems turning down a sale. That biker was slightly talking somewhat inappropriately even if he didn't mean to. A simple "he's cute" would've sufficed, but a number of bikers don't exactly do things by the book.
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LikeGood point! re: biker.
Yes, I think we're gonna make a run to Macy's today when Donny gets home to see if we can get a better deal on the stuff we got at Kohl's yesterday.
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LikeI love how if something goes on sale at Kohl's within a week of your purchase they give you the difference back if you take your receipt in !
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LikeTrue dat.
My stepmother can walk out of Kohl's with 20 items having only spent $7.25. It's insane. She's a bargain magnet.
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LikeI'm glad that you and Kali are putting aside girl time! You really should trek into the city. There are all kinds of great things to do. Now that spring is coming you should come in for some of the great art festivals and such.
Cheers and be well
Heather
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LikeYeah, as Jack gets older and less dependent on the breast milk we'll be venturing out further and longer.
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LikeMommy radar is no fail. Better safe than sorry.
I had a GDO with my daughter last night while my son was at the movies with some friends. It was nice and I realized that I don't get to do that often enough with each child. I'll have to work on that.
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LikeAnd you know me, I think EVERYONE'S a chester. But this guy set my shit off real hard.
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LikeIt's so great that you take a day out to dedicate to Kali. One day, when she has her own kids, she'll remember it as her happiest times :)
“Is it a part of your body?”
“It can be.”
She's one smart cookie.
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LikeDude, you have no idea how proud she was that she stumped me for so long. The more questions I asked, the more confused I became and she became more pleased with herself.
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LikeI waited all month for the President's Day sale to come from Sportsman's Warehouse so that I could buy camping supplies for my son and re-supply my own. Smoke almost came out of my ears when I got the advertisement in my email that it was just for shoes and clothing- both of which I have more than enough of.
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Like1. I've been meaning to write you because I had a dream about you... Saturday afternoon, I think.
2. Yesterday we ended up shopping again (which is kind of annoying because I don't want her to think GDO is always about a spending money activity) because next weekend is the Father/Daughter dance and both Donny and Kali needed something to wear. You just reminded me that, hopefully, I can find some sales today to get her a pair of shoes to go with her dress.
How often do you guys go camping?
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LikeA dream? Uh oh, LOL. This will be his first real season. We've done a couple overnights at Lake Arcadia before, but nothing really big, it was more of a reason for us to build campfires; let me fish and teach him to fish; and sucking down ice cold beer fireside while cooking said fish in the fire. I was waiting until he's able to carry his own pack (albeit a small one) before I added any kind of hiking to it. So this year, we'll probably be making many trips to Roman Nose state park. Only problem there is I need to bring my own food and can't simply catch it. I can still have beer, though.
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LikeThat's one thing Donny really looks forward to with Jack - teaching him to fish. It's one of the few memories he has of his Dad.
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LikeOh, the dream...
You sent me a plate of food. It was two kinds of meat and some... rice, I think. One meat was Anteles and the other was Rabbit. I remember clearly that the note with the plate said "anteles" and I called El Supremo to ask what it was and he said, "How the hell should I know?" So, I hung up and ate it not really knowing what it was, but believing it to be deer meat.
And in the dream, I kept sniffing the plate surprised that neither meat had a "gamey" smell to it and that I was enjoying it. They were both well done (how I like my beef in real life) or so I thought. Suddenly, the inside of the meat got really pink... but I couldn't stop eating it!
Weird, huh?
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LikeI think all dad's are anxious to teach their sons to fish/hunt/be in the outdoors, period. No matter how modernized we become, there's something about men taking their sons out to wilds away from everything that resembles the instinctual joy of "being on the first hunt". You may forget the time your father took you to Yankee Stadium, coached your basketball team, or gave you your first driving lesson- you never forget the days on the lake with nothing but nature surrounding you. Ever.
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Likehaha, weird. Ironically, I just repaired my high-velocity pellet gun yesterday morning and had a very lengthy discussion with a friend about killing rabbits in the field behind my grandmother's house. They're so over populated there, it's incredible. Rabbit is fantastic. This morning when it's a little later and people wake up, I am sighting everything in. By noon, it will be a highly efficient, rabbit-killing weapon.
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