Do you know who Gavin is? He’s Mazzy’s boyfriend, as she has let me know on more than one occasion. You’ve seen Gavin making eyes at Mazzy on the top of the Empire State Building, dropping his jaw at Mazzy’s Frozen birthday party and inserting himself in the middle of our family photo when Harlow turned two.
This summer, Mazzy announced she and Gavin got married at camp.
“Oh really?” I said. “What does getting married mean?”
“Getting married means kissing on the lips.”
This makes perfect sense if you think about how all the Disney princess books end. “And then they got married and lived happily ever after” next to a picture of Cinderella and Prince Handsome in an embrace.
“Did you and Gavin kiss on the lips?”
BIG SMILE.
Uh-oh.
Let’s just say, Gavin is on Mike’s radar. That’s for sure. (Sleep with one eye open, Gavin.)
When we are not worried they are growing up too fast, Gavin’s mom and I think their relationship is absolutely adorable, so when Gymboree reached out about a collaboration to show off their Valentine’s Day line, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.
We were going to take Mazzy and Gavin on a date! I mean, a play date, but also kinda like a date date.
But first, we had to pick their outfits. Let’s start with Mazzy, which was pretty easy because almost everything was pink.
I chose the colorblock skirt, the words of love tee and the heart zip cardigan. Then we accessorized with the hearts loafers, hearts tights, hearts headband, and heart purse. Yes, I know that’s a lot of hearts. We completed the outfit with a Janie and Jack coat, scarf and mittens— it’s cold in NYC!
When I first told Seri she had to pick out Valentine’s Day clothes for Gavin, I could tell she didn’t think she was going to find much in Gavin’s boyish style. But she was pleasantly surprised to find ninjas and robots featured in the selection along with the most awesome monster socks ever.
Gavin wore a plaid shirt, a Valentine’s Ninja long sleeve tee, monster heart socks, grey skinny jeans and black lace-up sneakers. He completed his look with a navy quilted vest from Janie and Jack.
Next, we got children’s lifestyle photographer Dave Robbins to make sure we captured Mazzy and Gavin’s first date just perfectly. You know, because they’ll want to use the photos at their wedding, I AM SURE.
Are you ready for the cutest date ever?
When Mazzy stepped out on the street, she turned to me in her fancy coat, purse dangling from her arm and said, “I feel like a lady.”
Oh my goodness, this was just too much.
We met Gavin at Very Special Flowers, a flower shop in the West Village. Gavin got there first and surprised Mazzy with a small bouquet of pink roses.
Then we headed to Jeffrey’s Grocery for a bite to eat.
“How do you guys feel about sitting at your own table?”
“Like grown-ups???”
“We’ll be at a table right next to you.”
“YEAH!!!!!”
Maybe we should eat at separate tables all the time.
It was early and Jeffrey’s wasn’t serving dinner just yet, but they were very nice and let the kids sit down for a glass of orange juice. Otherwise, how would we have gotten shots like this?
Next, we were off to Magnolia Bakery for the city’s most popular cupcakes.
Mazzy and Gavin went nuts selecting sugary treats and trying to convince us they could handle more than one. Since they hadn’t eaten dinner yet, the answer was a firm “maybe later”.
They looked so cute, Magnolia sent us out with a box of six and two pints of their famously delicious Banana Bread Pudding. Thanks, Magnolia!
Since the kids were hopped up on sugar with no real substance (I do not recommend this at home), Seri and I roamed around the neighborhood looking for a place to eat a real dinner.
Roaming, at the very least, provided lots of picture taking opportunities.
We even passed a pet shop with puppies in the windows. Try dragging two kids away from something like that.
Finally, we decided on Morandi, a pasta place on Waverly Place. It was too dark for good pics but the best way to end a date, especially a date between two five-year-olds is with a big bowl of spaghetti. I also give Morandi big points for supplying crayons. At the restaurant, Mazzy put a napkin on her lap and used a fork. Whoa. Maybe pretending to be a grown-up is not such a bad thing?
Everywhere we went, people stopped to ogle the two of them in their Gymboree outfits. They looked insanely adorable. Everything was comfortable and suited for play, but with it all coordinating so well, they made quite a statement.
“Are those kids famous?” a waiter asked me at Jeffrey’s Grocery.
“Only to their moms,” I answered.
Ack! Don’t show that picture to Mike.
Gymboree is offering Mommy Shorts readers $25 off any $100 purchase in-store or online, by using the special code MOMMYVDAY, offer valid 1/30/15-2/6/15.
Plus, this month I will be a featured pinner for Gymboree, pinning my favorite playdate spots in NYC on their Pinterest Playdate Map.
I’m also giving away an $100 Gymboree gift card to one lucky reader.
To enter, just check out Gymboree’s Valentine’s Day collection (boy and girl) and tell me the one thing you would pick for your kid’s first date in the comments.
For a second entry, tweet about the giveaway and leave a second comment saying you did so.
I just entered to win an $100 @Gymboree gift card from @mommyshorts! http://bit.ly/162Hv4R #ValentinesDay
Good luck!
UPDATE: CONGRATULATIONS TO ELIZABETH ADMCPHERSON! PLEASE EMAIL ABBY@MOMMYSHORTS.COM TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE!
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This post was sponsored by Gymboree but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’d pick the heart rain boots for my daughter, because we live in Portland and it always rains on Valentine’s Day.
Those pictures are too cute!! I would get the heart print dress!
I’d pick the heart to heart dress – so cute!
The heart print dress and Cardigan. You can never have too many hearts. <3
Too cute!!!
If we won, I’d get my daughter the studded boots. Super cute and Texas friendly!
The heart ponte dress!
Tweeted as well!
Definitely the heart ponte dress with the tights and loafers! Those tights remind me of ones I had as a little girl!
I love the entire collection! I would go with the Cupid cutie look!
I tweeted!
we love the monster heart socks <3
I LOVE the heart sweater dress, but really all if it is so dang sweet.
My daughter is 2-1/2 so Heart Sweater Dress is my fav. With that big red heart on it… oh my, would she be such a cutie!
Freakin adorable post and pics!
I’d definitely get my little guy that beeping robot t-shirt!
Tweeted. Thanks! https://twitter.com/jennym1979/status/563772306695401472
I’d go with the Checked Shirt for my son. He’d like nice in that.
Such cute clothes! Boys always get the shaft but I do love the checkered shirts in the collection.
I would choose the Cargo Jacket. My son loves to match his daddy and this is the first jacket I’ve seen that looks like the one my husband has
My daughters would love the heart sweater dress and matching heart purse… I’d get 2 of each to avoid the sister fight 🙂
The monster heart socks, they are just too cute!
My little man would have to rock the heart mom tee! As a mom of two boys, these sweet little ladies need to know up front they are momma’s boys!
I’d pick the love bandit tee, checkered shirt, straight leg jeans, monster heart socks, and the color block sneakers! Hopefully the first date is a long time from now!
so cute! Dave Robbins did a great job of capturing this sweet little couple!
My son would be so adorable in the grey skinny jeans and the red plaid shirt! of course presenting red roses to his date 🙂 This post was adorable! your kids are sooo cute 🙂
Hi Ilana,
This is a very belated thank you, but definitely an important one. My son is 6, and loves socks. Loves, loves, loves socks. Particularly holiday themed socks, which he wears year round, despite the season. He also likes to wear mis-matched socks. He always wears mis-matched socks actually. Always. I couldn’t find any Valentine’s Day socks for boys at all until this post, and he was quite crestfallen. Plain red socks just wouldn’t do, and he’s at the age where pink is simply inappropriate for boys. After reading this I immedatey bought the little boy Valentine’s Day socks for him and it was a huge win! No glitter, no pink, all fun! We live in California and he typically wears knee socks and shorts year round, and these have been in heavy rotation since coming home. They have also made good friends with some orange pumpkin Hallowen knee socks as well, and have been worn with the Valentine’s Day ones also. Thank you, thank you thank you! I don’t typically shop at Gymboree but am so thankful that they have holiday themed accessories for little boys for Valentine’s Day and made a special trip there to pick them up. Thanks again!
[…] is in the Air… My Marriage: Before & After Parenthood Mazzy and Gavin’s First Date Dear Future Mazzy and Future Harlow, My Valentines Forever I Lost My Valentines to Each Other […]
My four year old, Allie is lovestruck.
She loves Michael, my best friend’s son, and agreed to go on a date with him.
Allie was in in the stroller, and Michael who is still under the wait limit, was in the Ergo Carrier.
The kids went to the park first, where they fed the ducks in the pond. Micheal agreed to get out of the Ergo to participate with his girl.
After feeding the ducks, the kids were hungry, so we took them to The Palace (a resturant that looks like a castle)
Then it was off to Cupcakery where they got hopped on sugar.
It was almost past their bedtimes, so we decided to call it a night.
But I put my Ergo carrier on. (Brooke uses it still) and Michael was put back into his. Then the two kissed goodnight.
Child Romance. Mazzy and Gavin look so darn cute