Part Of Her World

The Little Mermaid has been part of Dagny's life all her life.  She has loved Ariel forever. From the moment she first saw her in a storybook, long before she ever saw the movie, there was something about The Little Mermaid that intrigued Dagny.  I don't think there was a piece of Ariel merchandise she didn't own, her room was (tastefully) decorated with all things Little Mermaid, she had Under The Sea themed birthday parties, the highlight of every Disneyland trip was seeing Ariel, she dressed up as Ariel for Halloween for 2 years running... It was adorable.  Obsessive, but adorable.  

Halloween, at 3 and 4

A Day at Disneyland was not complete without a visit (or two) to Ariel's Grotto

(you wouldn't believe how many pictures like this there are)

this is what a typical Dagny Christmas looked like 

The Little Mermaid obsession lasted for several years, but at some point all the toys got put away and Dagny moved on to other things.  She got about the business of growing up and I thought we had seen the last of Ariel. Apparently not, Dagny decided that this was the year to bring her back.  The Little Mermaid is 16, Dagny is 16, this seemed like the perfect year to dress up as her again.  Only this time with legs, not fins.  I will admit that I had a ridiculously good time putting together this costume.  Partly because it is just a great look, and partly because I loved that this is the costume she chose.  There's some kind of beautiful symmetry about it.  


Halloween was on a Monday this year so all the parties had happened over the weekend, which left Dagny actually home on Halloween night.  She decided she wanted to be in charge of giving candy to the trick-or-treaters.  In true Dagny fashion she went all out.  I helped her put together her own "grotto" and she sat on the porch in full costume with The Little Mermaid soundtrack playing.  She got to live out the fantasy of being a Princess at Disneyland when little kids came up to her and called her Ariel and asked to take a picture with her.  She stayed in character the whole time, she gave those trick-or-treaters the full experience.  It was fun to watch, and it's hard to say who was having more fun, her, or them. 

Ariel, with dinglehopper

The Bow 

(which I made and am unabashedly proud of)

The Grotto

with pumpkin Flounder