Music City with Mimi

Amelia's 10th birthday present was a girl's trip to Nashville culminating with the Taylor Swift concert!  The day had finally arrived and we arrived in Nashville midmorning ready to experience all Music City had to offer.  

Amelia's birthday trip meant Amelia planned the itinerary.  First stop- Broadway Street to see some of the famous stops where country music stars got their start and more importantly to Amelia-shopping.  She had her trusty Vera Bradley purse and her savings and she was ready to spend it.  (She shopped and shopped and bought nothing, which is typical Amelia.  She will be a millionaire by the time she is 20 because she saves all of her money.  The ultimate looker but not buyer.)  So we continued to look in every tourist shop  despite my helpful comment that each store really has the same selection of tshirts, shot glasses, cowgirl hats and magnets.  After we were sufficiently shopped out we headed to lunch at Puckett's and ate enough for a family of five.  As we walked around the city, Amelia and I quickly learned that Tennessee is MUCH hillier than Mississippi.  The biggest hill in Mississippi is a curb so our legs had to get used to hoofing it up and down hills.  

The next stop on Amelia's Nashville tour was the Adventure Science center.  It was a great stop because we were pretty much alone to explore there and Amelia got to enjoy all of the displays without little siblings pulling us ahead to the next thing and "mama, mama, mama'ing" me to death.  In Amelia's words, "It was fun because I actually got to read the displays and learn something."  The above picture is Amelia getting to experience  what walking on the moon was like.  I was so bummed I had a dress on so I did not get to try it-that was not the kind of "moon" anyone needed to see.  Ha!  I seriously do not know if anyone reads this blog but that totally cracked me up.  

I got to watch this great mind figure all sorts of things out.

But guess who won the brain wave challenge?  That's right, Mama!  These extra attractive headbands were placed on us and our brain waves would move the ball toward the "winner."  Funny enough, calm brain waves moved the ball.  Apparently, Amelia's brain is firing at a much faster frequency than mine.  Hmm, on second thought, maybe I was just totally bragging on my dead brain.  

I think I was just uber- relaxed because traveling with one totally laid back 10 year old was the easiest vacation I ever went on.  

Trying to hold up Saturn, we were giggling uncontrollably trying to get Amelia's hands right on this picture.  Again, we were in no rush anywhere we went which was lovely.  

We had lots of chances to work on our "selfies."  We rounded out the night with another Amelia choice, a steak dinner.  No complaints from mama.  

Day 2 arrived and we had the greatest breakfast with the greatest girls!  This is Taylor and Megan Bonds.  I babysat Taylor and Megan (and their little sibs Ali and Mike) back when I was in college at Valpo.  Their family influenced me a lot and Steve for that matter too, as he also joined me in watching the Bonds crew.  It has been such a blessing keeping in contact with their sweet family.  Taylor and Megan both attend Belmont college now and yes, that made me feel incredibly old.  They were so sweet to give us a tour of Nashville and showed us the Vanderbilt and Belmont campuses, Music Row and let us know about Pancake Pantry, where we ate breakfast together.  We had seriously the best pancakes ever (yes they even rivaled West Egg by our old apartment in Chicago).  It was great to catch up with the girls and reminisce.  Hugs to you Taylor and Megan!  

 I think I enjoyed the special one on one time with Amelia on this trip more than anything else.  We got to have some really important talks on this trip without any interruptions and I just hope she can always come to mama when things get hard or confusing or annoying or terrible.  

After we were stuffed to the brim with pancakes our next stop was the Country Music Hall of Fame.  

Lots and lots of gold records.  

Amelia took a ton of pictures at the hall of fame but I just posted a few.  She loved Elvis's gold piano and she took a lot of pictures of different stage costumes from artists she knows like Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks, etc.  

And then it was time!!!

The first day we arrived, Amelia was the only kid downtown.  By the day of the concert, you would have thought Nashville was holding a mother/daughter convention.  Everywhere you looked were moms and tween daughters and the excitement level was at a fever pitch.  

Our hotel was directly across from the concert venue so we got to watch all of the trailers arrive.  Is she not the cutest little Taylor Swift fan ever?  Love my Mimi.  

We were so excited!!!

First concert ever =souvenirs.

Our great seats.

I have not been to any big concerts in a LONG time- like a REALLY long time.  

Taylor Swift concert- BLEW. MY. MIND!

It was so much fun dancing and singing with Amelia.  I loved watching normally stoic Amelia, get so pumped up and dancing to every song.  The concert was just so awesome, every song was such an experience.

Country music fans...look who surprised us half way through the concert!  Nashville is Taylor's hometown and wow, does she love Nashville.  She said she had a surprise for all of us and then she brought out Luke Bryan!  Wow...I was jumping up and down and screaming like a 12 year old meeting Justin Bieber.  They sang "I don't want this night to end" together and it was so much fun.  The place was going nuts.  

The last song...I was sad to see it over but she had played over 2.5 hours and every song was awesome.  Even more awesome, experiencing it with Amelia, whom I hope will always remember her first concert.