Mother-Daughter Day

It's been far too long since Miss Fab and I went on a genuine honest-to-goodness Mother-Daughter Day.
Here's what happened in the long months since we last went on such an adventure together, just the girls: She Grew Up.

OK, so not all the way grown up, but at nine years old she is grown up enough so that it really felt like we were just hanging out. I didn't feel like a babysitter or a kitten-herder. There were no tantrums in the Mall or battles over clothing choices.

Guess what had also happened in the inbetween? I got to know her better.
I know what she likes, I know what drives her crazy.
If she hums and hahhhs over something, leave it in the shop (or I'll find myself taking it back later).
If it has lace, is too fitting, too fussy or itchy... leave it in the shop (or I'll find myself taking it back later).

Shopping with my daughter has been transformed  from a rather fraught event (to be avoided at all costs) to a rather pleasant, enjoyable pastime by a decent passing of time (*ahem* can't remember how long).

Suffice it to say that shopping with Miss fab was fun.

We knew what we were looking for, we tried on everything and we stuck to our budget.

And afterwards we were enjoying each other's company so much I decided to splash out and take her to Citizen Park in Kingsland, which I had been eyeing up every time I drove past for months.

It did not disappoint.

Me and Fab are the only girls in our tribe; we are in the minority surrounded by an over-abundance of football-playing, wrestling-match holding males, so we have to give each other moral support. We have to delight together in things like the decor, the ambience, the presentation of the fries in little tin buckets, the serviettes in recycled tin cans...

These are the things me and Miss Fab remarked upon to each other as we waited for our food. It's so nice to have a girly day with someone who gets as excited as you about the texture of the walls and the rather special light fittings...

It was a very successful and most enjoyable Mother-Daughter Day.

Which only makes me more determined to not leave such a long gap between shopping/lunch expeditions.

Miss Fab is great company...

... and no longer a nightmare shopper. PHEW!

(And much to my delight not one thing has had to be returned to the shop)

♥

How do you spend special times with your kids one on one? Any suggestions for other Mother-Daughter days? Ideas, anyone?