When Tom and I found out we were having a girl (Ellie) we decided it would be fun to start a tradition of taking them on dates(please recall Ellie's first haircut/date with dad to the barber shop). We take turns who Ellie goes out with and get her input along the way. Most of the time she wants to go to Dunkin Doughnuts on 8Th Street to get a blueberry muffin. While Clelia was in town, I took Ellie on a special weekday date. After a tempting suggestion of "special milk" from Starbucks (okay so I wanted something too) and a cookie, she could not resist.

After a touch of caffeine and sugar we were ready for our activity. Ellie has been asking to get her nails painted every since her haircut and the sweet ladies "took care of her" while Tom got his haircut. She came back with gem studded nails! I think it was penance for giving her a boy cut. So we checked out the a new place on the booming H Street called, Spoiled Rotten. I can barely handle the name but it is SO fitting. Please note the Tinkerbell lamp, she was sold. It's a sweet little shop that has this mock salon atmosphere set up that is extremely age appropriate. Kids music playing, little seats and a color selection any pre-K would die for.

After her nails are painted, none other than purple and adorned with various stickers, she lets them dry. Our date was a success and Ellie liked her nails painted for an entire half hour and then decided she didn't want them purple anymore. Ahhhhhhh, why do I feel semi prepared for the teenage stage?