Mama Moments: Cinderella

Yesterday J.rue and I took Ellie to the new Cinderella movie. We would have normally tried to pawn her off on a sitter, but since the movie theaters are doing $5 Tuesdays we decided to brave the theater. Ellie has only ever been to two other movies, Saving Mr. Banks when she was 3 months old and then a couple weeks ago we took advantage of the $5 Tuesdays and went to see an animated movie called Home. We made it about 45 minutes. She wasn't feeling it and neither was I so I gladly packed up and hauled out of there.

I've wanted to see this movie since it came out, plus I had heard good things about the cute Frozen Fever short before the movie. If anyone has Frozen fever, it's Ellie Bean so I was confident we'd at least make it through that part. So we met up with our friends and their two kids and hunkered down for the next two plus hours.

As expected Ellie loved the Frozen short. She didn't move a muscle the whole time, except the few mutterings of "let it go". Once it was over and the movie started she kept looking at me and pointing to the screen and asking, "let it go?" She even let out a few whimpers of sadness when it was over. It was cute because she cut it out pretty quickly.

With Ellie and her two blankets on my lap, I quickly started to overheat so I took off my pullover. Of course, since I removed a piece of clothing Ellie had to follow suit. So she watched the movie topless, and eventually sockless. We're really good parents and also forgot to put shoes on her, so you know, naked movie Tuesdays!

I loved loved loved the movie. It had me teary eyed within the first few minutes watching Cinderella's relationship with her mother. (Note: this is where I'm going to get cheesy) I loved holding my daughter on my lap and vowing to do better to make the everyday a little more magical and to teach her to "have courage and be kind". I've always loved the prints "work hard and be kind", and while a strong work ethic is more than important having courage in today's world is even more important than that. Ellie is going to have to grow up having courage to stand up for her beliefs and what she knows is right and the first place she is going to have to learn that is here, at home. I also loved the quote, "Just because it's what;s done, doesn't mean it's what should be done". Again, the makings of a strong foundations to raise a strong girl. I just couldn't get enough of those bits of the movie. If I can raise I strong, kind, and righteous woman, I will be a happy mama.

Ellie's favorite parts were the fairy godmother bit. She loved when the animals were transformed. During the whole things she was pointing towards the screen with her best surprised fact (mouth in a BIG oooohhhhh). But even more than that she LOVED the fireworks over the castle during the ball. That was when she let out an audible WOAHHHHHH several times. Oh the fireworks are going to be fun this year. Seeing her in awe is such an amazing thing to witness. She just amazes me daily.

She made it through the whole movie quite nicely, especially with her daddy's help. Of course we came equipped with lots of popcorn, soda, candy, and fruit snacks, so that helped and j.rue was ready and waiting to pass over anything we needed. She sat on my lap most of the time so we got some good snuggling in. She's become quite the mama's girl over the past few weeks and I don't hate it. She's never been a snuggly girl until lately. I can't get enough. During the last part of the movie while they are trying the shoes on all of the girls, Ellie kept handing me her foot and saying, "shooooes!" This girl loves her shoes, so anytime she would get antsy I would remind her that shoes were being heavily discussed and she would revert her attention right back to the screen. She clapped when the movie was over and then should couldn't get over to her little buddy, Holden, fast enough. She just loves him.

The best part of being at the movie was being with Ellie. At random parts of the movie she wanted to make sure I was catching the awesome thing that was happening and she would look at me, whisper "mama!" and pat my cheek and point to the screen. Having a girl has been better than I ever could have imagined. We have a special relationship that I'll cherish forever. She's my mini me, which is good in some ways and not so much in others. I just have to chuckle when I see some of my ridiculous idiosyncrasies come out in her little personality. She is my heart and soul.