oh, rapunzel! let down your hair!

Last weekend, we took Anna to see Tangled, her very first movie. "Firsts" are something that are so spectacular, and when they happen, I never want to let them go. I store them away in my mind, in my heart, and in my writing. Yes, firsts are so awe inspiring. The wonder in a child's thought, the way that she sees things for the very first time. She will become excited at other times as well, but none like the first time. The first time is well, magical.

She gladly sits in the booster seat next to her big brother (who is only seeing his second feature film on the big screen). Popcorn in between the two, they are thrilled even at the previews. It's the opening scene and she claps voraciously. She turns to me and unknowing of movie theatre etiquette, yells at the top of her lungs, "Mommy, Rapunzel!" She is over the moon for what is before her eyes, and even more so, because of her love of all things Disney princesses. She sits quietly and when her popcorn is low, she sits in my lap and kindly asks for a sip of my soda (something she rarely gets, but this is a special occasion). Now seated with two children in my lap, the baby finds a snuggly spot in my mother's arms. All of us are enjoying the beautiful music and animation in this film.

When the movie is over, Anna claps again and tells me how much fun she had and how she loved the movie. She is thrilled that she has gone to the theatre, and even more so, that it was a movie about a princess.

A momentous occasion, for sure. Her nonna holds her hand as she begins to cross the street. I attempt to hold Kieran's hand and he proceeds to tell me that he would like to hold his sister's hand. They cross the street in unison and I can't help but attempt to capture this moment, camera in one hand, baby in carseat in the other.

Another stamp in the passport of my memory, one that I will never forget.