With Heather and her college friends up in San Francisco visiting Jackie!, Annie and I had ourselves an incredible father/daughter weekend!

Saturday was St. Patty’s Day, and since I am a quarter Irish and Annie is 37.5% Irish (sheesh…that took some math) we had to do something fun. I put Annie in her Muppets sweatshirt that prominently featured Kermit (because my little 37.5% Irish baby had to wear green) and headed out for Coldstone Creamery. Annie was pretty excited:

photo.JPG

At the ice cream shop I ordered us an especially large treat, you know, on account of it being St. Patty’s Day.

photo.JPG
“Get your own, Dadda!”

It was wonderful sharing our ice cream, especially since Annie was big enough to sit in her own chair and use her own spoon. It really drove home how much of a little girl she’s become.

On the way out of the mall I saw that “The Lorax” was starting in a few minutes at the movie theater. Since Annie had been so grown up at the ice cream shop I threw caution to the wind and took her to see it. Annie had been to a couple movies before, but both of those were in nearly empty theaters, and this one was packed. This made me worry she would make too much noise, but thankfully she did well and quieted down whenever I shushed her.

There was one funny thing that happened though. At one point the theater was totally silent when a gloriously orange, Dr. Seussian landscape filled the screen. Annie, upon seeing this, interrupted the silence by letting out a loud “WHOA!!!”, and the entire theater burst into laughter.

That night, as I put Annie to bed, I asked her if she remembered being at the movie. She nodded and said, “Yes. Dada say “Shhhhh.”

Annie was even more excited the next day because it was her friend Reilly’s birthday party! Annie had talked about the party all week, and practiced singing “Happy Birthday” every chance she got.  We even sang it non-stop on the drive to the party, and she sounded great, if I do say so myself.

The party was held at an art studio for children, and the kids were given carte blanche to create whatever they wanted. Annie drew for a bit, then made a beeline for an easel and started painting.

photo.JPG

While Annie LOVED doing this, I was less enthused because it meant I had to stand inches away from her the whole time poised at the ready with wipes in case she got paint on her hands or face (which was often).

I called this piece “Meditations #4”:

photo.JPG
My influences? Basquiat, Picasso, and Elmo.

Annie is clearly one of America’s finest abstract artists.

Annie only stopped painting when Reilly’s mom, Tara, announced that it was time for cupcakes. Annie looked up at me, excited.

“Sing song? Sing song, Dadda?”

“Yes!” I replied as I set her down next to the other kids. “It’s time to sing the song!”

I stood back, anxious to hear Annie sing the song she had practiced so hard, but once everyone began she froze up and sat in silence. When the song ended and she realized she’d missed her big shot she immediately broke into tears. Luckily, her tears only lasted a second before Tara brought out the cupcakes, and Annie remembered the thing she liked more than singing the birthday song – eating cake!

When Heather got home that night Annie gave her a big hug and told her all about the things we’d done together.

“Wow,” Heather said. “Sounds like you and Dada had quite the weekend.”

I smiled and nodded. We certainly did.