Preparing for the Ball
- Notify prince charming, aka daddy, about his role and give him his to-do list (pick-up flowers, food, and be home at a decent hour to pick up his princess for the ball while dressed for the occasion). The challenge was accepted with excitement and pleasure!
- Designate a space. I used our "art room" because it had the most open space for a dance floor and was in a room that I could shut the door and hide from Tinley. The room was cleaned and all large "art room" related furniture were hidden/removed.
- Decorate the space. I explored the house for items to use that would help transform the room into an enchanted ballroom: glittery ribbon, white sparkly tulle, white plastic table cloths, plastic wine glasses, candles, and serving ware that I hardly use from our wedding. I covered Tinley's mini table and chairs with a white table cloth and then put a vase with a flower in the middle surrounded by a couple of candles. I used chargers and plates on the table with plastic wine glasses and a pitcher of water. I covered the shelves with an additional white plastic table cloth and added some touches of tulle, ribbon, candles, and Christmas lights to finish off the decoration.
- Lock the door. I locked the door to keep a nosy 3 year old away and to build the suspense of what the future held.
Before the Ball...
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The Princess Ball
- Prince charming picks up his princess. Daddy arrived at Tinley's door with flowers and asked her to attend the royal ball with him. Tinley was excited, nervous, and incredibly adorable when daddy arrived. It was as if I saw a glimpse of what she will look like in 17 years when she goes on her first date ... brought tears to momma's eyes!
- Royal pictures before the ball. Prince charming and princess Tinley posed for pictures as I snapped away so we could remember this moment forever.
- Dinner date for two. Prince charming escorted his princess into the grand ballroom where they enjoyed fine dining. Mom was the server (it allowed me the opportunity to be a part of things but allow them the special moment). I was in and out at first delivering food, drinks, and whatever service they requested. Prince charming and his princess used excellent manners, had great conversation, and enjoyed each other's company. A foundation was being laid for our little princess of how to be treated like a lady and how to act like a lady (minus the make-up that might have been a tad bit overdone).
- Dancing. After dinner prince charming and the princess spun and twirled and enjoyed an assortment of instrumental ballroom music.
- Celebrate the beautiful evening with dessert. Prince charming and his princess came back together and enjoyed ice cream that was served by momma and assistant, Bo.
With the exception of flowers and food, the evening was relatively free. However, the memories and the bonding that occurred between a father and his daughter were priceless. Watching my daughter look at her daddy like he really was her prince charming made it all worth it. It wasn't only our princess who had an amazing evening, Daddy's heart was overflowing with joy! I highly recommend doing this at home with you own children. You can tailor the date to fit your child's interests. Enjoy because they grow up way too fast!