Mila Yes Day

Last Friday was officially declared "Mila Yes Day."  Last year, I took advantage of Mila's last year of preschool and kept her home for most of the week prior to Christmas.  One of those days we declared a "yes day" - and I agreed to say yes to any and all of Mila's requests for the day.  While I was fully prepared to give her perimeters, especially if she asked for the entire baby doll aisle at Target, I realized pretty quickly that what this girl wanted most was my attention and time.  We had a tea party and played toys in her room for hours.  

I wanted to do the same thing this year with both kids, and Mila was fully on board to go first.  And the little planner made a list that she taped to her door with all the things she hoped to accomplish.  I swear nearly every day since Thanksgiving, Mila asked if today was her yes day.  So when I finally got to say YES last Friday morning, she was over the moon with excitement.  

First, she asked for breakfast at Panera.  We packed a bag of some of her favorite things, listened to her requests of Elevation Worship, the Head and the Heart, and Miley Cyrus on our way, and she chose a chocolate chip muffie AND a pink mitten sugar cookie to go with her orange juice.  We hung out at our little table, coloring in her favorite Mommy and Me coloring book and playing a few games of Memory and Guess Who.  And if her big smile and little leaps and skips everywhere she went were any indication of her joy level, I'd say we were off to a pretty good start.  

We left Panera and went to get our nails done for Christmas.  Mila wanted bright white with glittery snowflakes.  She sat quietly observing the nail techs do their thing and at one point asked them if they speak French.  They smiled and said no and then she told them she spoke Spanish and knew all the words to Feliz Navidad.  

When it was time for lunch, Mila first requested Olive Garden, but soon changed her mind and decided she wanted a Happy Meal.  We forewent eating inside and made a carpet picnic instead, watching an episode of her favorite Fuller House while we ate.  Mila simply can't get enough of Fuller House, especially her favorite character...Kimmy Gibler. ;)

Then it was time for her favorite part of the day, Calico Critters with mom.  I told her we should play for about an hour so we had time for more fun things.  When her hour was up, she said she wanted to start another hour. :)

We spent the afternoon out and about.  We started at Barnes and Noble to check out the toy section.  Mila drooled over the Legos and family of Scrubbies, giving me lots of good ideas for her birthday, and left with a new little family of puppy critters to add to her collection.  And then she let me throw in just one of my requests - a stop at my favorite greenhouse to buy a Christmas cactus and show her the pretty poinsettias.   

I sure had fun saying yes to this girl on Friday!  If this little tradition continues, it will be neat to see the things she wants to do as she grows.  I have a strong inclination that for awhile, it will most likely involve time on the floor together surrounded by toys, our best imaginations and British accents, a little worship music, and a little Miley Cyrus.  Equal parts sugar, equal parts spice!