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Friday, April 6, 2012

It's a Girl

So, I've never really been the "girly" type. I hate shopping (unless it's for books) and only very, very rarely do I carry a purse. I don't really do jewelry--I didn't have my ears pierced until I was in my 20's, at my husband's insistence. I could care less what I wear, or how my hair looks. I do wear a bit of makeup, but only enough to deal with my invisible eyelashes, which, as I've mentioned before, I hate.

But I'm not a total tomboy either--I'm athletically challenged, I'm very introverted, and although I do play a lot of video games, they're usually the "girly" ones, and if not, I play the girly characters. (Yes, Alliance sucks, but they're prettier, and at least I can be the best of the worst players, instead of the worst of the best.)

So when I found out I was having a girl, I had only one rule for my family members: "Do not buy her pink, or I will kill you slowly."

Of course, we ended up with pink, but I like to think it was much less pink than she would have gotten without the threat of death. I've actually come to like a few of the least-pink items (shhhhhhh!). Unfortunately, though, my insistence on non-traditional color came with a horrible realization: I'm already beginning to act like my parents.

Until I got out on my own and went to college, my dad had this idea that I was a miniature, female version of him. I remember, at the end of my senior year, getting in trouble for something or other, and him saying, "You don't think like me. And therefore, you think wrong. And until you learn to think like me, you're not going to college."

Of course, I still went to college. Whatever the problem was, it blew over in a couple weeks, after I reminded him that a) my hard-won scholarships and student loans were paying for it, not him, and b) that I was 18,  adult, and he had no legal right to keep me there.

But the other day, when Olivia and I were at the mall, I couldn't help but notice the obvious limb flailing excitement at the pink section, and the equally obvious lack of expression at green and yellow (the colors I'd like to dress her in). She may be less than 6 months old, and it may just be a coincidence; but I realized that in limiting her choices in attire this early on, I'm setting myself up to limit her in other ways, and I don't want to do that.

So I'll dress her in pink, until she gets tired of it. All I can do is pray that it will be sometime soon.

5 comments:

  1. When my daughter was that age she LOVED red... and now (at four and a half) she will happily state that she loves every colour in the rainbow - except for red. LMAO At any stage though, I say let them pick what makes them happy. It may not always coincide with our own tastes, but it helps them grow and gives them confidence knowing we back their choices. And yes, my darling girl goes to Pre-k dressed as a cowboy or princess or fairy at times... but she's happy and well, that's cool with me. ;)

    Love all the wonderful blogs and people the A to Z challenge is connecting me to. So many great stories I'd never have heard otherwise.

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  2. This all sounds very familiar. I was a tomboy as a child (luckily my Mum did get one very girly daughter in my sister). My Mum's efforts to buy me dolls and put me in dresses were thwarted at every turn; all I ever wanted were cars and dungarees.

    I'm now expecting my first child (no one ever expected me to get married, let alone become a Mum!), and we don't even know the sex yet, but I'm already setting down the rules about no 'girly toys'!

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  3. I was never much of a girl-girl either, and it's always made my poor mother so sad. She wanted me to be a ballerina and go shopping and wear frilly clothes. But luckily, even though it made her sad, she let me be my own person. How grateful I am for that. I know you'll find the right balance with your daughter.

    Wishing you continued success with the A to Z challenge,
    Jocelyn

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  4. haha..cute post. She probably was so excited about it because she hadn't seen much of it! That would be sad if your pink ban backfired, but I bet family members would get a chuckle if it became her favorite color. lol. Great to meet you through the AZ challenge!

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  5. Aw what a good mom giving in to the pink for her :) I'm so not a pink person but every now and again it's not too bad.

    Anna@ Herding Cats & Burning Soup

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