Growing up

My oldest daughter is not a little girl anymore. I know this because she sat next to me last night watching Phantom of the Opera, as enraptured as I was. The two older boys snored away while the youngest two kids ran circles chasing each other. After it ended, she could not stop thinking and talking about it. She claims it is the best movie she has ever seen.

So she has graduated from one dimensional Disney knight and princess tales to a sophisticated love story with rich characters, emotions, and language. The costumes, singing, and dancing completely enthralled her (and me as well). To go back to her fairy tales will be like seeing a shack after viewing the Guggenheim Museum.

Her sweet and pure heart is still intact, though. Her favorite character was the Phantom, even if he was a murderer and bad guy. His tortured life and ending heartbreak earned her undying sympathy.

We've reached an important milestone here. Mother and daughter can now enjoy and cry at the same things.