Spring Break Surprise!

Has anyone else noticed that the older your kids get, the harder it is to surprise them? And if you don’t have kids, guess what? IT’S REALLY FREAKING HARD. Especially when they are eight and literally your best friend. We tell each other everything and I mean EVERYTHING! I even ask her advice before I buy something to wear. Because who is more honest than an eight year old kid? That’s right, no one.

With that being said, spring break was coming up and after going to Disney weeks before our options were limited. I didn’t want to spend much money (gulp) but I also wanted us to have fun! I had many outdoor activities planned. Park days, bike rides, playing in the backyard, chalk murals, walks and much more! However, Ohio decided to crap all over our plans by raining ALL WEEK. No exaggerations here, every single day, rain. It was so obnoxious. Don’t get me wrong, we watched lots of movies, snuggled and played inside but that wasn’t the kind of fun I had in mind. That was basically our everyday fun that we have.

By Thursday, I saw there was zero chance of rain on Saturday and I knew I had to do something special. I started looking up every indoor water park hotel from Indiana all the way up to Sandusky, OH. Most were sold out and others just weren’t within the budget I was trying to stick with. Then I kept wracking my brain. Saying, “What is something Hailey has always wanted to do?” Then it hit me, HAVE LUNCH AT AMERICAN GIRL’S RESTAURANT! I thought to myself OMG PERFECT! I immediately pulled it up online and set a reservation. There weren’t many left so thank goodness my brain worked quickly that day.

On Friday I continued to think about what our whole day would consist of. I then remembered that they offered a “Spa Day” for your doll. I thought how fun that would be for her since she has never done that either. So again, I went online and made yet another reservation for her doll to get her hair done, have a “bath”, and get her nails painted. I couldn’t help but get excited for this day myself. Knowing the smile it was going to put on Hailey’s face had me so anxious. Made it even harder to keep it a secret!

I also made a plan with her to play dolls that night. I thought if we got ALL her American Girl dolls dressed up and played with them she wouldn’t suspect a thing. Again, not to brag, but I was right. I really wanted her first doll Hailey to be in her best outfit for the day. So we played and then I asked Hailey to get her doll Hailey dressed in her favorite outfit and she did. A little later I told Hailey it was bed time and when she went to brush her teeth. I rushed right out to my car and put Hailey doll in the trunk! She didn’t even notice but the entire time tucking her in I was having heart palpitations. haha.

Then I had to think of the ultimate trick to get her there. Fortunately/unfortunately for me, I see so many doctors that I thought why not just tell her I have to see a new doctor up in Columbus. BOOM! The perfect plan right?? YES! I woke her up early and asked her to get ready because I had to see a new doctor. She bought it one hundred percent. At first I wasn’t sure because she is such a smart little human. But then in the car on the way there, she said, “Mom after the doctor, do you think we could go to build a bear?” Right then I knew. I knew I had her right where I wanted her. I knew this was going to completely make her day. Which immediately made mine. I was all smiles.

We pull up to the mall and I thought oh no its ruined, she knows what the mall looks like. Ya know being the paranoid mother that I am. So I said to her, “Hey Hail, you know how we go to the dentist at the Greene?” (Which is a mall closer to us. Sounds sketchy but I promise it’s not!) And she said, “Yeah.” I then told her, “Well this doctor has an office on the second story of the mall also in the office buildings.” She said, “Oh that makes sense, I was wondering why we were here.” Instantly I thought, WHEW! haha

We began walking up and I told Mason to start filming. There wasn’t a second of this I wanted to miss. Once we got closer, I told her that I made up the whole thing and we were actually having lunch at American Girl and then her doll had an appointment at the Spa. She was so shell-shocked she didn’t even know how to react at first. Then she said, “But where’s my doll?” Little did she know I already had her hiding out in the bottom of the stroller underneath a jacket. Guess I can still be stealthy when I want to be. haha. She was so happy, smiles from ear to ear and just said “thank you mommy.” I melted into the store and we had the best day ever.

The food was way better than I expected. It was a cheat for me for sure considering they do stick to more of kid type foods but it was still delicious! Since it was Hailey’s first time she got a small tea set for her doll and three hair ties for free to take home! That definitely made her happy. The staff was remarkably nice and the food was reasonably priced. After we ate, she dropped doll Hailey off at the spa and we began to shop. Hailey picked out a matching dress for her and Hailey doll that is to die for! I cannot wait until its warmer and they can wear them. She also got Hailey doll some new earrings, a new brush, and then book for herself. She had the best time going through everything and making her own decisions on what to get.

We picked up Hailey doll from the spa with a new hair do, her nails painted pink and a bath. I must say she looked like a brand new doll! I took pictures of them both when leaving the store and I’ll never forget the huge smile on Hailey’s face. I just knew what the day meant to her and that was exactly what I needed after an average “indoor” spring break.

We spent the rest of the day walking around the mall. Momma needed some goodies too! Shopping, looking, taking pictures, and getting lost. Then we ended the day meeting Uncle Will at our favorite Mexican restaurant, Bakersfield. Eating all the queso, guac, chips and tacos. Plus drinking all the best margaritas! All in all, I think Saturday was everyones favorite day during spring break. How do all of you surprise your little ones? What do you do for fun on spring break?