This weekend we had an awesome experience with Gwendolyn — we took her to see Sesame Street Live!It was a day full of surprises and Gwendolyn was game for them all. She is always so ready for an adventure and I just love seeing her darling expression of anticipation — and after such a stressful few weeks, it was even more important to see that light back in her eyes.
The first treat was Gramma and Grandpa meeting us at the theater. She loved this! The next special surprise was a behind the scenes meet and greet with Cookie Monster and Elmo!!! She was completely over the moon — eyes out on stalks! And the last special event was watching Elmo, Big Bird, Abby Cadabby, and all of her favorite friends sing and dance! Gwendolyn literally did not stop smiling for an hour!
The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza was incredibly accommodating, which made the entire experience almost completely without stress. They went above and beyond to make sure Gwendolyn was safe and that we were comfortable in a designated out of the way box — and they even let us borrow an extension cord for her breathing machine during the show! And Vee Entertainment was so, so kind and receptive to our special needs and requests. They allowed us to wait in the “green room” away from the crowds and other children and brought Cookie Monster and Elmo to us. And having that one on one experience literally made Gwendolyn's wishes come true. Yes, my daughter is officially a Sesame Street groupie — and meeting her rock stars, shaking their hands, getting kissed… was beyond her imagination! And she now will not put her Elmo or Cookie Monster dolls down.
This day was extra special for all of us. With Gwendolyn having such low energy lately, this was something we weren't sure we would still get to take her to. We knew she would simply love it, but only if she were feeling back to herself. And so to see her beam, to see her hanging on every note, to see her wave feverishly…meant so much to all of us. To be able to bring her joy surpasses all else.