Wedding day

So today was the big wedding in London.

I half-heartedly pledged to get up at 4 a.m. so I could witness the spectacle. But I failed to reset my alarm. And the bed just felt too comfortable to wake any earlier than my usual 6:30 a.m.

Kates and I woke up and began getting ready for our work day routines as usual. Kates dressed Phoebe for preschool, prepared her morning milk and powered up the TV for "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse," as usual.

But today was a different day. Initially when I asked Phoebe if she wanted to watch the royal wedding, she would have none of it. But she soon came around, and said in her little voice, "I wanna watch the princesses." ... That's what repeated viewings of "Enchanted" will do.

I turned the channel in time for us to see the crowd filling the street and moving swiftly toward Buckingham Palace to see Prince William and Kate Middleton's first kiss. As we soaked up all of the camera angles and commentaors' descriptions, Phoebe stood mesmerized at the end of the coffee table. "Where's the princesses at?" she kept asking.

She's coming, Phoebe, we kept saying. We just have to wait.

Finally the couple appeared on the balcony, and their first kiss was, of course, underwhelming. They kissed again for good measure ... And yet, the indelible image from the moment may be the pouting flower girl.

It wasn't much. But it was a worthy break in our morning routine.