I don’t think I can handle the girly.

As similar as Isobel and I are in temperament; nose, hair and eyes; and apparently sleep habits, I see a great divide looming.

Me? I wear makeup, like once a month and go for eye-enhancing effect. But other than that, I have a constant ponytail and unconcealed baggage. My daily wardrobe is jeans and a teeshirt or tank, with some sort of casual hoody or sweater to keep me warm. I shave my legs only when they’ll be bared to the general public and in general, if I am going to wear one of my two dresses, it’s over fitted jeans. That’s going all out, though I suppose I am slightly girly, if you were to check out the amount of little, floral-covered, low rise undies I’ve got.

With Isobel, It started last month, when she got a wack of hand-me-downs from 3of3’s closet and another friend. She came home from Mr. Lady’s house looking oh, so sweet and innocent and cutesy. And she decided it was dress city. I, being the cool tolerant lazy mom that I am, said fine, but put a limit over her head: no more than three dresses a day.

But, I’ve got to admit, it’s getting worse. And I’m concerned.

There’s been a recent obsession with panties (even the word makes me shiver) – leading her to sleep with her seven Dora-printed, two-sizes too big briefs. She walks around the apartment clutching them, showing them to me over and over. I’ve had to forcibly remove them from her little hands, lest she walk out the door with an assload of ginch. She drops some on the floor, and then FsTFO, “Mama. UH OH. Panties! Mama, Panties Go Down!” I suppose I’m supposed to rescue them or something, but all I can think is, “will Panties be the word that replaces ‘no’? And is that a good thing?”

I don’t know what to do about this situation other than to potty train her so that she can feel confident that no matter what she’s doing, where or when, she’ll have panties by her (back) side.

Then today, it got even worse. (Let’s keep in mind that my outlook might be distorted slightly by her lack of naps in the past five days, night wakings and a general refusal to use the stroller – or walk, often. This means she’s wilty and cranky, I’m wilty and cranky, and I end up carrying 25 pounds and not being able to smoke. These are not rose-coloured glasses I’m wearing.)

Today, is the 3rd birthday of one of her friends, so we ended up going to the usual playgroup and dragging a wrapped Dora chutes and ladders game and bubbles schwag with us. But our present was far outdone by a fairy princess costume. Which, of course, the little girl rocked out in and it made all of the other little girls follow her around, exclaiming, ‘happy birthday,’ with intended sincerity and a severe need to wear the damn tutu.

Isobel didn’t join the ass-kissing parade. Thank god. But when we got home afterwards?

Totally needed to wear panties, a dress, her fairy wings from last Hallowe’en (that were stashed in the closet so well, I’d forgotten where they were) and to drink some milk from only. a. purple. cup.

Frick.

I’m losing sight of my planned boarding betty. Fast.

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  • Kim
    Whew.. thank goodness I have boxers or briefs. I can't help you out with the girly stuff.. and the word panties.. hate it :)

    Kim's last blog post..Things that make you go awwww..
  • Oh girl you have a handful with this one. But I'll bet she's gonna make you laugh with all her girly antics. And I only very recently came to grips with "panties". I'm turning 30 this year. Pretty late on the bandwagon.....again.

    Mrs. Kitty's last blog post..Dear Dad
  • I hate the word panties. I never EVER use it. It's just a wrong word in my mind. I hate the sound of it.

    My guess is that the girlie thing will pass. She has a million other phases to go through in her childhood hehe

    Re: No matter how girly she is, every girl’s favourite colour is blue by age 7 anyway!

    I have never known a girl that liked blue at that age, oddly. Purple and pink were the big colours.
  • She sounds absolutely adorable. I love that you are letting her be who she is (and embracing it, if not in an obvious way). I LOVE the preschool years....

    Half-Past Kissin' Time's last blog post..A Sweet Memory
  • At least she's going through the dress thing in summer (if you can call our current weather "summer"), because there's nothing like trying to convince your kid that she can't wear her Cinderella dress outside in a snowstorm.

    Latte Mommy's last blog post..Stockholm Syndrome, Latte Mommy Style
  • Aww! She sounds adorable. I don't do girly either. And I hate the word panties. Eww. Ugly word.

    Maria's last blog post..45 Things: My Internet Experience
  • No matter how girly she is, every girl's favourite colour is blue by age 7 anyway!

    Eve Grey's last blog post..So look into my face Marie-Claire And remember just who you are Then go and forget me forever
  • Well, some girls just gravitate towards it and others don't, and in my experience, it has NOTHING to do (necessarily) with mom's preferences. My sister's three, for example, are one tomboy, one girlie and one girlie to the triple max. All with the same parents... Good luck with the pink. :) At least you know you can always make her a tutu in red or chartreuse if she insists on having one.

    MommyTime's last blog post..Good Porches Make Good Neighbors
  • i'm not much of a girly-girl either... but Little Bear is some sort of weird combination of girly-girl and complete tomboy! On one hand she can climb, run, yell, etc, as good as her 11-year-old brother and is often found covered with dirt... but on the other hand she loves princess dresses and is OBSESSED with makeup! Kinda grosses me out...

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  • panties {{shudders}} I hate that word. We say underwear...

    MomBabe's last blog post..Mind-Frame
  • lol
    i love it.
    no really. totally makes me laugh.
    99% of parents are forcing their girls to be more girly... and you are appalled at her natural instinct to go there.
    you can totally handle the girly, lol.
    something tells me that in a couple months you'll be sucked right into it yourself.
    i can see it all now... sitting in the bathroom brushing each other's hair and doing makeovers... oh ya. it's on.

    vancityrockgirl's last blog post.."the depression"
  • When 3of3 was diagnosed with The Girls in utero, I went home and started shopping online. i had a whole cart full of black Social D onesies, Converse, beany caps, plaid skirts with oversized safety pins in them...everything for a Thoroughly Modern Punk Rock Girl.

    The kids first word was shoe, followed quickly by PINK.

    I have *almost* learned to love it. I still really want her to wear that Social D onesie just once, though.

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