Jingle Ball!

Dear Lila,

It's your birthday month!!! Most people are lucky enough to get one celebration on their actual birthday but because your birthday is so close to Christmas (and Mama never cheats you out of anything by combining Christmas festivities with your birthday ones), you often get several celebrations over the course of the month because your friends are busy during the holidays and we plan other days for you to meet up. This year, you are going to a pottery painting place with your BFF Riley, celebrating with your other friends Ally and Alina a week later at Nickelodeon Universe and then on your actual birthday, I am taking you into Manhattan to visit the Bryant Park Winter Village, New York Public Library (you love your books!) and various holiday decorations. We also have plans to take MuiMui back to Dream City and DiDi to the Liberty Science Center to see the train exhibit. So as if that wasn't already enough activity for the month, Daddy received free tickets to the famous Z100 Jingle Ball last night!!!!!! It is a huge annual concert at Madison Square Garden featuring major musicians and I've never even attempted to get tickets because they a) sell out so fast and b) are super expensive but someone Daddy works with got him tickets and because a) Daddy doesn't know half of the artists on the lineup and b) someone had to stay back with MuiMui, you and I ended up going with Ally and her mom--AND IT WAS AMAZING!!! We saw so many singers whose songs we rock out to at home: Ava Max, Charlie Puth, Lizzo, Dua Lipa and . . . BACKSTREET BOYS!!!!!!! Backstreet Boys!!! 

My inner 16-year-old self was fuh-reaking out when they came onstage yesterday and I totally sang, screamed and jumped harder than you, Ally and most of the tweens at the show, haha! Their set was so good and the whole concert was awesome and I am so glad we got to experience it together! We took the LIRR into the city, grabbed some sandwiches beforehand, ate the most delicious fries during the show, got free light-up antlers and Christmas ornament necklaces and sang and danced like crazy all night! But oh man, as cool as it was to see so many pop stars all at once, it was a looooooooong concert. It started at 7am and didn't end until midnight! By the time Dua Lipa came on at 11:30pm, you were wishing for your bed! I did make you get up and dance when she performed "Levitating," though, because that is one of our favorite songs!

There were so many incredible moments of the night but I think the one that will really stick with me is that when we were at home getting ready to leave, you asked me if you should bring your school iPad with you to the concert so that you could study for the math test you have on Monday! Oh Lila! Never change!

Love,

Mom