Gingham Style

It all started with a Christmas gift--a copy of The Wizard of Oz and a stuffed Toto to go with it--from G-ma and G-daddy.  

The book was carefully avoided at all costs for many months because it was one of those--a hundred-page, word-filled, minimal picture book housed in a deceptive "children's book" cover.  Every time she would pick it we'd be all like "how 'bout something else....see, look we haven't read Hop on Pop in awhile".  Then we finally decided to give in and start The Wizard of Oz I guess sometime this summer.  It only took about 7 bedtime sessions to get through the hundred pages and she was really intrigued by the story and in love with the characters which brings us to present day:

The book was a slightly abridged version using all of Frank Baum's original text.  She didn't find it scary at all (perhaps it's because Ryan and I would both read with an over-the-top sap-happy voice whenever something remotely scary would come about to avoid anything that could come back to haunt US later on in the form of bedtime drama).  She knew there was a movie and kept asking to watch it but since I'm pretty sure the movie still creeps me out, we weren't about to let that happen just yet.

Then I saw that the Center for Puppetry Arts was showing The Wizard of Oz in October and I thought that would be the perfect way to help her realize the story visually.  I checked out a puppet museum pass from the library (which gets you 25% off performances) and booked our tickets for an October Saturday. 

Here's the morning of where she knew we were doing something special but she wasn't sure what it was yet.  Looking all like a teenager in her white cami and shorts.  And her sweet little belly:

Becoming Dorothy

We like to joke that Molly's kind of an Oz purist.  In the book Dorothy's shoes are silver.  Every time she would talk about the book (doctor's office, school) people would make conversation about the ruby slippers.  One time during a blood draw at Dr. Van Meter's--"and what color were Dorothy's shoes?  Red?",  Molly--through tears (from the needle) and a puzzled you-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about look--"NO!  They were silver!" Like, why are people still ignorant about the color of Dorothy's shoes??  Reading comprehension, much? After that time I remembered to explain that Dorothy's shoes in the movie were red and she was totally down with that from then on.  

What was super cool was we got a little Dorothy dress up outfit in some hand me downs from her friend Ella.  I remembered that just in time for her to don it for the puppet show.  Just the week before, we were getting down a box of need-to-grow-into shoes, since Molly's feet are the fastest growing thing about her right now, and there were a size 7.5 sparkly ruby slippers that absolutely fit her like a glove (or like good-fitting shoes, I suppose).  Glinda must be smiling down on us.  Ha.  What's more?  I found some blue gingham ribbon in my ribbon stash.  Just enough for two little bows.  I may have geeked out a little with that discovery...

By the way...were you keeping track?  Yep.  Puppet show garb and halloween costume for FREE

Sweet Dorothy

Sassy Dorothy

Get me from the side, Mom.

She was psyched to get to go to the puppet museum again.  And so were we.  We'd had a blast the last time we went (almost a year ago to see Peter and the Wolf, another Molly favorite).  

We dressed Jack in his blue gingham overalls to coordinate with his big sis Dorothy.

Jack, look at Mommy!

Sitting on the giant marionette foot

Just happy to be there...and climb on everything;)

Sadly, their Big Bird and main room of exhibits were totally gone to make room for renovations but the other exhibits were there so it was still a good time.

Putting on a shadow puppet show for Daddy

Checking out Toto's shadow

The show was great.  It wasn't scary in the least.  The wicked witch was hilarious (on a four-year-old scale mind you) and Dorothy and Aunt Em were black and sang spirituals and the blues.  Really cool twist.

Almost forgot one of my favorite parts...the puppet workshop!  During the week it's a staff led session but on the weekends you're on your own.  It was so crowded we just took a to-go Tin Man puppet kit and did it at home.  So glad because if we did it at the museum we wouldn't have had the leftover die cuts from Jack's gentleman party and washer eyeballs lying around to decorate him with.  Molly was smitten.  He's cute don't you think?

A good day to be Molly:)