William's First Movie!!

Okay, those of you that know me know that each and every little milestone or experience is a huge deal to me...to us.  We're always looking for family activities to do, places to go, things to experience with Yums.  Whether it's taking him to children's museums, Disney World, festivals, having picnics in the park...we're really big on family time and making the most of it.

  

As of Christmas Eve and his unwrapping of the Toy Story DVD, Yums has been getting into movies.  At the same time, he's really getting back into books.  He's at the point where he's really interested in the stories behind things and not just the pictures or colors or turning pages.  Anyway, we've been on the lookout for the perfect movie to take Yums too.  We wanted something upbeat, not too long, and something he'd really be interested in.  We saw previews for Horton Hears A Who the other night and thought that might be a good one, but when I heard the other day that a new Veggie Tales movie was coming out and (even better) it was all about pirates I KNEW that it was the perfect choice for his first movie-going experience!

Papa took the afternoon off of work, we made a big deal about how we were going to a big boy movie, how we'd see it on a really big TV screen, how he'd get to pick a snack to eat while he watched... He was SO stoked he was literally pulling Patrick to the car as fast as his little legs could carry him!  We got to the theater (surprised that he stayed awake in the car the whole way there having had no nap and all), he handed the guy at the ticket counter his money, and Papa even let him hold the tickets (okay, it was just the receipt, but shhh...don't tell him!).  We had a few minutes before showtime so we headed to the indoor playground at the mall in hopes that Yums would burn off any extra energy and would sit through at least half of the movie (I have realistic expectations with this kid!).  

When it was time to head back to the theater he practically flew there, all excited to give his ticket to the guy and pick out a snack.  Lord knows what box of candy he ACTUALLY chose, but Gummi Bears it was!  We get into the theater and it's empty and I just start thanking God for smiling down on us!  By the time the movie started two other families had taken their seats, but at least we wouldn't be disrupting a full theater if Yums showed his true colors and started screaming because we asked him to sit down/stop kicking/whisper/etc etc etc.  

Like he almost always does, he went above and beyond my expectations and actually sat still and watched the entire 90 minute movie!  He cracked up at parts, which caused the other people in the theater to crack up at him laughing in the evil sinister laugh that he does.  He ate his gummi bears and snuck diet coke whenever he got a chance.  He clapped when anything good happened and would scream "Watch out!" whenever a sea dragon or bad pirate was near.  He really did seem to have a good time.  And I...I sat there in tears thinking about how big my tiny Yummies (okay, he never really was tiny) now was, how I remember telling God that all of my dreams would come true if he blessed me with a son (yes, I prayed first and foremost for a healthy child, then for God's will in its life, and then, I admit it, I prayed for a son).  It was a really special time for us yesterday and just the perfect way to have spent the afternoon.  Of course...I had to document everything.  So, here you go!!