Hannah's First Movie in the Theater

Bill and I took Hannah to see "Horton Hears a Who" this evening while my parents watched Abigail. She was very cute about sitting at the end of her seat (otherwise the seat would sandwich her in) and eating movie snacks. But the volume was off-the-charts loud and she was soon sitting there, precariously balanced, with her hands covering her ears. Bill went to ask that the volume get turned down and it did, somewhat. I had been told that there was one, just one, iffy scene having to do with some kind of cartoon violence. The movie is rated "G" and I figured we could weather a short cartoon scene. Instead, it wasn't that scene at all that caused the walk-out. (By Bill and Hannah - I remained to see if it would get better.) (Spoiler alert!) Instead, it was this scary, and ongoing, conspiracy by a very unloving mother kangeroo who wanted to kill the speck (where the Whos live) because she didn't believe the elephant (Horton) when he said people lived on the speck; she said she didn't want him to encourage the children's imagination. When he ran away from her psychotic self, she sought out a really scary-looking buzzard in a dark, dank briar patch, to ask him to go kill the speck. While negotiating with the buzzard, she repeatedly pushes her baby kangeroo back into her pouch telling him to go back to his room. So, essentially, she takes her kid with her to hire a hitman. How family-friendly. (On the upside, there were some funny scenes that most kids would miss having to do with Steve Carell's and Jim Carrey's characters. This is becoming a movie review.)

Bill and Hannah came back soon after this scene and had scored two tickets for a future movie. Turns out, after they'd left the theater, Hannah asked Bill, "Daddy, can we go tell the guy the movie is too scary?" So, they walked over, hand-in-hand, to the security officer and another employee and after saying "hello" told them that the movie was too scary. The employees initially offered to let Bill and Hannah go see another movie (no other "G" movies today - not sure what movie they'd imagine a 3-year-old would see instead of the "G" movie) and then, when Bill declined the offer, they offered two tickets which Bill gladly accepted. We left soon after and went home.

Bill and I had expected to really enjoy having Hannah to ourselves for the first time since Abigail's birth. It was the three of us for over two years and we thought it would be good for her and good for us. Instead, someone was missing the entire time. Sweet Abigail. Bill later said he felt it, too. And at bedtime, as we rounded third and were headed home (post songs and prayers), Hannah asked, "Hey, mom, next time we go see 'Horton Hears a Who,' can we bring Abigail?"
A voice from the crib (the room was pretty dark), "Yeah."
I said, "Did you miss having Abigail with us?"
Hannah said, "Yeah."
Abigail said, "Yeah."
I said, "Me, too. Well, we won't see that movie again but, sure, we'll bring Abigail the next time we see a movie."
Abigail said, "Yeah."
Hannah said, "Good."