It's my sailboat and I'll cry if I want to

The Bear turns 4 (holy crap!) this coming Sunday. We wanted so badly to have her party at World Cafe Live on 3/16 for the Justin Roberts show but it would wind up costing close to $600 which is flat-out insane. Then we looked for something else original and fun (renting out a small movie house and showing Singing in the Rain, local Fire Dept. for a tour of the trucks, YMCA's eco-party, etc.) but nothing made sense, was available or was affordable. So I had the radical idea of asking the Bear, who, it is important to note, has not once asked about her party or gifts or anything, if she would be cool with not having a party to celebrate turning 4 and instead going off to do something exciting and fun together as a trio (ditching the Mouse).

Her reply, "sure". She then added "can we go on a sailboat?"

And so it begins, a search for a sailboat cruise and accompanying activities. I'm looking at Shearwater sailing in NYC and maybe putting that together with a trip to American Girl Place for Afternoon Tea, Gustafer Yellowgold's Mellow Sensation off-Broadway show and a night in a cool hotel. Sure, it will end up costing more than a party, but it is money better spent than on crappy party favors, goodie bags, and food for a 2 hour event that will have us run-ragged by the end.

So far, we've purchased the Bear a framed Singin' in the Rain Poster from Allposters.com and the 1st grade version of Didi and Ditto - her favorite game (the kindergarten version) to play on the laptop. The only other gift we plan to buy is a digital camera, a less-expensive "adult" one not a plastic chunky kids camera.

So this solves my dilemma (or delays it for at least a year) of whether or not to include instructions inside the invitations for what not to buy the Bear (namely Disney merch or Bratz dolls). Whew!

Not to turn this into a mushy I-love-my-kid post...but I cannot believe I'm the father of a 4 year old girl. How freakin' strange all of this is. I couldn't be happier to have the Bear as my daughter though, she is amazing.