Surprising Allie

Yesterday we got to surprise Allie with something that we have been waiting to do for her for a long time. Our baby girl turns 13 this month (gasp!), and we have known since before she was even born that we wanted this birthday to be celebrated in a big way. One of the main things that we have planned to do with our kids is to take them on a trip, with just Corey and me, when they each turn 13. Allie did not know that, but she did know that she wanted to go to New York City. I am not sure why she was so enthralled with the idea, but for a long, long time she has been saying, "I don't want anything else for my birthday. I just want to go to NYC." I would bluff, "You know Allie, kids don't just get to fly across the country for their birthdays." "I know Mom, but I just want to go so bad!" I would say, "What would you even do if you got to go to New York?" And she would list off thing after thing after thing. Most of those things are just sight-seeing things in the city - Central Park, Time Square, The Statue of Liberty, the subway. So, for probably a year, she has been helping me to plan the trip that I fully intended to give her but that she was not planning on receiving. She was hoping but not counting on it at all.

Months ago Corey and I bought the plane tickets and our hotel, and our trip was officially scheduled for the day after her birthday. I was planning to tell her on her birthday that we were going to leave the next day, but a friend who had recently taken her daughters to NYC suggested that I tell her a few weeks in advance, so she would have time to anticipate the trip and plan the things that she would want to do the most while we are there. I am so glad I took her advise.

So, in the last few weeks I have been planning a way to creatively tell Allie about her birthday trip. I decided on having her do a scavenger hunt with a clue and a small gift at each location on the hunt. She was to collect the gifts but not open them until we arrived at the final destination, and that is when she would find out that her dream for her birthday had come true.

Yesterday afternoon, I told her that she could get on the computer. When she did, she received as a private Facebook message with the first clue.

Clue 1

It’s time for you to take a break

From checking Facebook & Twitter.

We are going to play a game

That will make your heart patter-pitter.

It’s a game full of clues and driving many miles.

Now go to the home of your friend that brings to your face the most smiles.

Allie was thoroughly confused and anxious about what she was supposed to do but finally jumped in the car with the family and headed to her friend Katie's house where she received a clue from Katie & her mom, Donna. Then Katie joined Allie for the rest of her scavenger hunt.

Clue 2

You’ve got Katie. Good for you.

Now it’s time to play a game that will make your dreams come true.

Go to the house of your aunt, uncle, and cousins,

And see if you can collect a clue (and some lovin’).

~ Emmie, Claire, & Jacob gave her her 2nd Clue ~

Clue 3

You’re doing good, but there are more clues to deduce.

Head to the place where we buy produce.

When you arrive purchase a Snapple,

And maybe a yummy big red apple.

The third clue was in the grocery store sitting in the Big Apples. (Get it?)

Clue 4

There is a phrase made popular by Dorothy.

Think of what it is then ride there with me.

~ Allie and Katie at "Home" ~

Clue 5

Every year you receive a silver gift to add to your collection.

Now that you are getting tall,

It is time to go get one at the mall.

Each year we give Allie a silver charm for her charm bracelet that symbolizes that year of her life in some way. This year, she received a Statue Of Liberty charm.

Clue 6

Head to a place to meet some friends

Where the good times never end.

It is a play area where we’ve hunted eggs,

And ran a race with tied up legs.

The trees there are big and tall,

And it is a great place to celebrate in the fall.

We actually have a park in our area named Central Park! (What are the chances?!?) So, that was the perfect place for us to end our hunt and for Allie to open the gifts that she had been collecting. I have been gathering NYC themed things for a while, and those were her gifts.

~ a calendar with black & white photos of the city ~

(perfectly "Allie")

~ a Travel Journal ~

~ a map of the city ~

~ tickets to a Braodway show ~

(I love her look in this one!)

~ the 3 tickets ~

She also received her charm, a Travel Guide for NYC for kids, a t-shirt that says New York City, and a soundtrack for the Broadway show Wicked that we are going to see.

~ reading the letter that Corey and I gave her explaining why we wanted to give her this gift~

~ the travelers ~

Cousin Claire (and her mommy & brother) met us at the park.

I had put this t-shirt on Cooper under the shirt that he was wearing, and he revealed it to Allie at the park.

We are so excited that next month at this time we will be in New York City with our girl!