When it became apparent that we were going to be able to make the whole conference attending for work and family vacation combined thing come together, the very first task I did was check into the Princessification Process. Long before flights were booked, a hotel room was reserved, or a single bit of actual planning went into the trip, I had already called The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique to find out how much it would cost for Alexis to get her princess on.
(For anybody not in the know, the boutique is a sort of hair place for kids. Little girls can get their hair all done up princess-like, their nails painted, and can pick out a princess gown. We chose to bring our own princess gown because OMG EXPENSIVE.)
The answer was more than I spend on food for lunch in a month, but it just so happens I could stand to lose a couple of pounds. I decided I would be very hungry all through the month of April, but that Alexis could Princessify. But, I didn't tell Mr. Husband about my evil plot. I assumed he would shoot me down like a hot chick does men at a geek convention.
I kept the reservation a secret, figuring it was the sort of thing best mentioned at the last minute. It's much harder to say no to the pleading eyes of a 3-year old than it is your wife who has been nagging you endlessly for months to quit wasting money on various crap. (Hello, I have a special seat reserved for me at the Hypocrite Table. Care to join me?)
A few weeks went by and Mr. Husband and I started to really work on the planning. Suddenly, what in my inbox should appear but an email from the Husband and his genius idea that we should take Alexis to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.
Score!
I gave Mr. Husband credit for the genius idea as I spent the last couple of weeks prepping our shy wee one for her afternoon of getting her hair did. I showed her pictures. We talked about what would happen. She decided to wear the Cinderella dress she got for Christmas (clearance sales RAWK!). She talked about getting her nails painted. She told me about how her hair was going to be fabulous.
She was ready.
Of course, Alexis is Alexis and can't actually appear to be excited as something is happening. She who would not stop talking about going to Cinderella's castle to get her hair done all. freakin. week. suddenly had NOTHING to say once we stepped inside the castle. She wouldn't say her name. She wouldn't sit in the chair without me. She wouldn't crack a smile for even a moment.
Thank goodness I know her or I would have drug her out of there. After 30 minutes of sitting very, very still with a stone-faced look of ambivalence, Alexis finally got to see herself in the mirror. And grinned. BIG. WIDE. HUGE.
The biggest grin of all time.
(There are photos of the Princessification project, but I don't have them yet. Mr. Canon had to hang out not being used as it was going on, so I have to rely on the Disney-taken photos for those 30 minutes. If I can make myself part with the money to buy them. That's a BIG "if.")
The grins continued the rest of the night. They came complete with a Diva personality of epic scale, but it's all good. Princess Alexis was a happy little camper.
Good thing, too, since Mr. Husband and I looked like we rolled around in a stripper's work locker after all the glitter from Alexis' hair made its way all over our clothes and faces.
