The SuperWhy! live show (aka, My date with Jake)

I didn't tell Jake we were heading to a live performance of one of his favorite shows, SuperWhy!, until the morning of the event. That's sort of my policy ... otherwise I end up answering "How many more days?" about 20 times every day.

It was just Jake and I, walking hand in hand. As we approached the doors to the Civic Center Concert Hall, he asked, "Mommy, how BIG is the screen gonna be?"

And it hit me. He thought we were just going to see an episode of the show on a big screen, like a movie. Ohhh, he was in for a treat.

When I explained that we were going to see the characters for real, that it wasn't just going to be like a movie, he was beside himself. He was jumping up and down in the lobby, and he was literally VIBRATING WITH ANTICIPATION as we stood in line at the merch table to buy a wand.

Oh, $12.99 for a cheap piece of plastic? YES, PLEASE.

He hung onto it like it was made of solid gold as he waited for the curtain to rise.

We were in our seats with only a couple of minutes to spare, and then the show started. At first, it WAS like a movie.

But then. But THEN. The characters came to life.

I heard Jake gasp, and I looked over to find him positively captivated.

The WhyFlyers came down from the ceiling to take the SuperReaders into the book, complete with fog, for dramatic effect.

The SuperReaders spent the better part of an hour in the book, and Jake was so happy to be on the adventure with them. He was so happy, in fact, that he called Grayson during intermission to tell him how much fun he was having.

And far too soon for Jake's taste, the WhyFlyers came down to take the SuperReaders back home again.

He couldn't believe it was already coming to an end.

He asked, "Mommy? Is there another episode?"

The show ended with a bang, and Jake was so grateful to have been able to go.

He stopped me in the lobby to give me a big hug and to thank me for taking him, and he shook his head slowly, saying, "I just loved that show SO MUCH."

Such a refreshing attitude, since I am often put off by our children's overwhelming sense of entitlement, the character trait that leads them to think that they are entitled to so much simply because THEY EXIST ON THIS PLANET.

It was a pure pleasure to be able to enjoy this experience with Jake, to view it with wonder through his eyes, to soak in his appreciation. Thank YOU, Jakey, for a wonderful "date."