a date with Cate

I took Cate on a date to see Sesame Street Live. She doesn't really watch "Sesame Street," the TV show, but she knows Elmo from the potty training video and some books. She also recognizes Big Bird from some books. She loved Disney Live about eight months ago, so I figured she'd enjoy all the singing and dancing with Elmo and friends.

I was right.

This is the best self-portrait shot of our five or so attempts. We'll take what we can get.

And for me it was fun to be with just her. We happened to sit next to people we know, but we didn't go with anyone. And it was nice. We talked. She made me laugh. And we just enjoyed some time together. I mentally recalled going to live shows like that when I was a kid [although older] while she soaked in the characters, songs, colors, numbers and dances.

That's Abby on the left. I'm not sure how Cate knows Abby, although I'm not sure how Cate knew to pick her out as her favorite. Before we got there, she told me Elmo's pink and purple friend was her favorite.

So we're sitting there, and Cate points to Abby, who I had confused with Zoe, until I heard one of the character call her "Abby," and says, "That's me. I want to be her." [That's her thing. She'll pretend characters are her. It's a little different than her pretending she's them.]

So then she asks, "Who are you?"

"Um, who do you want me to be?" Answering a question with a question. I hate when people do that, but I seem to do it to my 3 1/2-year-old girl rather often.

I think she pointed to Zoe, Elmo's orange friend, but I'm not entirely sure.

Then it was back to the cotton candy. I too think it's so tasty that licking every last grain of sugar off fingers is required.