Thursday, January 12, 2012

That Girl

I'm spending a few days with Daughter1 who happens to live in our nation's capital. You didn't think I just pulled the Hodgepodge questions out of thin air did you? When daughter1 was a little girl her Christmas list was full of pinks and purples and baby dolls and 'spinning' dresses. This year she asked for a new mattress and an external hard drive. Who is this child?

Because she has a full time job and I don't we decided I'd come down and be available for the mattress delivery and then we'd have some fun girl time too. Earlier in the day I'd taken the Metro into downtown so we could meet for lunch. I got to see Daughter1's work space and meet her boss and a couple of her co-workers. I looked at her desk, so organized and professional...I watched her swipe her ID badge to open doors and I listened as she gave me directions for walking around this huge city. I looked at my daughter and registered the white blouse tucked into dressy trousers and the four inch heels on her teeny tiny toes. For a minute I flashed back to her clomping around the house in my old highheels and her favorite dress up item which was a slip that belonged to my mom. Sometimes practice does make perfect.

I had my camera with me and after lunch I was hoping to play tourist but the weather did not cooperate. Instead I wandered into the most fabulous little bookstore in Dupont Circle that daughter1 had recommended. It's called Kramers and I could easily have pulled a mattress in there and spent the night. I love little bookshops. I bought a travel book or three and, as a little gift for my daughter, a collection of short stories written in French. Because when you live and work in a city you need to make sure you still have beauty in your life.

We rode the train home together and went out for a lovely grown up dinner where we solved most of the world's problems. We came home and put on our pjs and laid on her brand new plush mattress and watched all the Miss America contestant videos. We laughed ourselves silly.

She's in there still, my little girl with the golden blonde curls and the gentle spirit. The girl who makes the breeze feel warmer and the sun shine brighter even on a gray wet January day.

28 comments:

  1. Ah so sweet and so fun!
    Even though I think I'm ready for my 'little girl' to start her 'big girl' life, I'm still wishing for those dress up days...
    Have fun!

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  2. How lucky you are to have such a great relationship with your daughter.

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  3. Joyce...this brought tears to my eyes. You described so eloquently how I feel about my two girls. You really learn to cherish the time you have together the older they become, don't you? So glad you had a wonderful time!

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  4. Awe, so sweet. I love mom/daughter times. Glad you could bond with yours.

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  5. How wonderful! I know what you mean about looking at your daughter and seeing the little girl she was. I do that with my daughter too. Isn't having daughters the best!

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  6. Awww, sweet new memories and old ones combine instantly in those "mama flashbacks" when they're this age, don't they?

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  7. Lovely!

    Don't forget to check out the National Building Museum!

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  8. Daughters are wonderful, I enjoy it so much whenever I can spend time with mine.

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  9. So sweet! Have a wonderful visit!

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  10. This is beautiful. You are so good at making a story magical. Glad you had such a wonderful time with Daughter1.

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  11. Sounds like a wonderful day with a wonderful daughter!

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  12. Oh, what fun times! Enjoy these times because she'll fall in love, marry and then children and won't have near as much time for Momma. It's just the way life is and there's joy in all of it. Great post!

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  13. You are beyond blessed (and I know you know this) to have such wonderful relationships with your daughters. I'm glad you got to spend some one on one time with her in the city I've never been too:)

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  14. I loved reading this. We are so lucky to have daughters who make us proud. I think you had a perfect time. Treasure the memory.

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  15. Its so wonderful to spend time with your daughter. I just came home from spending time with mine. Every moment is priceless!

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  16. Aww. That makes me want to go visit my grown-up daughter! What a sweet time together. Thanks for letting us tag along.

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  17. Perfect day.....I hope you are there for the weekend and can spend more time exploring the city together!

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  18. Very sweet. You daughter sounds beautiful. New Years weekend hubby and I visited our son in his new town with his new career. We visited his work and walked for miles as he showed us his city. I know how you felt when visiting you daughter. Very Proud! And you should be.

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  19. i pray i get to enjoy these kinds of times with my girl...so presh!

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  20. What a lovely post, Joyce. You're both lucky to have each other.

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  21. The relationship you have with Daughter1 sounds like mine. She will always be my little girl even though she is now Brians wife. This was a very sweet and touching post.

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  22. beautiful. your post has me a bit teary... i might be a little extra emotional this week. ;)

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  23. I love the very last paragraph. My daughter is now going on 43...and all the traits of a little girl, I see still, as her mom.

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  24. Stopping by to catch up...There's nothing better than mother/daughter time! Sounds like you two had fun.

    This week I'm going to the circus with my daughter and her daughter, which should be fun.

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  25. Sounds like a wonderful weekend! I love Mother-Daughter bonding at the mall. ;-)

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