razzle dazzle!!!

 

24. Surprise Sadira with something amazing. - DONE!

So Sadira LOVES Yo Gabba Gabba.  If you don't know about YGG then you clearly have not been around a toddler in awhile.  When we heard that Yo Gabba Gabba was going on a live tour, we were the first to get our tickets.  Back then, they were only doing a trial run in a couple cities in the Midwest.  At the time, Sadira's dad Brian was living in Columbus, Ohio, so we got a few tickets for the Cincinnati show and made it an extended weekend.

That was back in March, and Sadira loved it.

 

Naturally, when they came to our area this past August we had to go again, right?

I guess you could say we've become Yo Gabba Gabba groupies?

Hmm.

Anyway, I had posted some of these pics on Facebook and through the magic of social networking a friend of a friend of a friend revealed that they worked at the Landmark Theater in Richmond, VA, and would we like VIP tickets to the show there?

Umm...DUH!! Do you even need to ask?!?

Strangely, this was not someone I knew directly so I was a bit apprehensive that the tickets would even be there, but a couple days ahead of time I talked to will call and they confirmed the tickets were there!  I decided to surprise my girl with something even MORE exciting--a whole weekend together in Richmond.  We could do whatever she wanted, and just kick back and have fun.

I'm also lucky to have a great friend who works for Marriott and she was able to get me the hook up on the friends and family rate (thanks Florentina!!) so we got a great deal on a hotel for the night---which was the second most exciting part of the weekend for Sadira.

The FIRST most excited part was the VIP party after the show that we got to attend and MEET ALL OF THE CHARACTERS IN PERSON!!  But you may think from our title photo (taken that evening) that Sadira doesn't look very excited.  Truth is, she was completely awe struck.  To prove my point I give you..

Exhibit A:

 

And...

Exhibit B: 

I'm not gonna lie, it was exciting even for me to see these larger than life characters who've been invading my home for over a year standing right there!  We couldn't stop staring at them. :)

So after a YGG VIP party complete with story time with DJ Lance Rock and a beat box session with THE Biz Markie, we headed over to the hotel--which was EXTREMELY exciting for an almost 3 year old little girl.  And room service?  Well, that was just about the best thing she could wrap her little mind around.

The next day went to the Richmond Children's Museum and then headed over to a few of the local parks since it was such a beautiful day out and we are always looking for more ways to complete #22.  We had some delicious Virginia baked ham sandwiches at a great little local deli followed by some yummy homemade ice cream.  Then, of course, we had to do a little shopping before we hit the road to go home.  Sadira wanted to stop off in DC and see "the point" (Washington Monument) so we made a pit stop in our Nation's Capital.  It was too late in the day to work on #14, but we didn't care because we had had such a fun day.

This little weekend away was just a reminder that it's so much fun to stop the monotony of the every day once in awhile and do something out of the ordinary.  Did I have homework that needed to be done?  Of course.  Did the house need cleaning and the laundry folding?  Absolutely, it always does.  But it was worth it to spend some one-on-one time with my amazing girl.

She really is amazing.