Nicole and I went to see the Pennyslvania Ballet's presentation of the Nutcracker, at the Academy of Music in Philly the day after Christmas. This was her first "real" ballet and she was excited and nervous at the same time! She insisted on dressing up in her best dress, and putting on jewelry and carrying a little purse around with her. We went into Philly early so we could have a nice day out. We went to see the light show at the old Wannamaker's department store (Macy's now) but she was about as impressed as I have always been with it---not very. (And I did not broadcast my lack of enthusiasm of it to her---I always discussed it with excitement!) I had intended on having a quick bite somewhere casual and running around the city, but Nicole insisted that she did not want to walk around and that she wanted to eat somewhere "fancy." We had a leisurely lunch at the semi-casual Italian Bistro before the matinee. I was pleasantly surprised when the waiter asked whether we were seeing a show, and offered a 20% discount on lunch for show-goers! 
Right before we left the restaurant, we started talking to a mother/daughter sitting near us. The daughter was about 20 years old, and she was saying that she has gone yearly to a ballet or show with her mom since she was about Nicole's age. It is not always the Nutcracker, and it is not always in Philly (one year it was a weekend in Atlantic City) but it has always been a special mother-daughter thing for her, to spend time with her mom without her three brothers! I am going to try to make this happen for Nicole as well!
Nicole really enjoyed the Nutcracker, and chattered away with excitement through much of it (despite my reminding her 100 times to be quiet!). Our seats weren't perfect, but the day certainly turned out to be!
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