Working Woman

What you are looking at is Katelyn's most recent obsession, as well as her motive for helping out around the house. After spotting this doll in a catalog, she's got her heart and mind set of saving up her money until she has enough to buy it herself.

"Honey, this doll costs $100," I said, pointing to the price.

"Well, then I will have to save up for a long time," she replied, determined.

I must say, this newest fixation is working to my advantage. Upon waking up each morning, Katelyn immediately makes her bed, puts her clothes away, empties the dishwasher, and inquires of any other chores she could do to earn some extra money. She is also thinking ahead and calculating the total of her weekly allowance for the next 6 months, as well as pinpointing other monumental days which she might be the recipient of some cash (Valentines? St. Patrick's Day? Easter? Birthday?)

She was elated at her payoff from the tooth fairy last week, after losing her very first tooth. Ka-Ching! I've noticed her wiggling furiously at the remaining teeth in her mouth, obviously hoping to quicken their removal so that she can cash them in and add to her savings.

While my boring adult brain is having difficulty with the concept of a doll whose clothing costs more than my own, it's nice to see Katelyn work for something she wants, and to be excited about earning something on her own. This girl is determined and she's darn good at saving money. She'll yank every last tooth out of her mouth if she has to, and scrub and polish for full allowance until she's got that hundred bucks in her piggy bank. In the mean time, my toilets have never been so sparkly.

Toddlers and Tiaras

What is cuter than a little girl dressed up like a princess? How about 200 little girls dressed up like princesses? Today I took Emily to the princess bash at Utah Sate with my sil Brooke and little Bayla. It was probably one of the sweetest things I've ever seen. It was princess heaven, with scads of little girls dressed up in gowns and crowns.

We were greeted by Tiana, who oddly enough was a pasty white caucasian brunette. I prayed that Emily wouldn't ask her why her skin wasn't "chocolatey". Would it have been racially offensive if the gal had caked on some heavy bronzer to pass as an African American princess? I dunno... Just a thought.

The girls got to get autographs of each princess, and do games, activities, and crafts and win prizes. Not only did they get to meet princesses, but there were a few princes were wandering around the ballroom as well. One dapperly dressed young man approached Emily to ask her name. Emily then asked who he was, to which he replied, "I'm a prince!" Emily looked as if she'd been handed a plate of broccoli and told that it was ice cream. Apparently the young men didn't bear strong resemblance to the movie characters. Come to find out, some things are far better in animation.

Pictures are necessary to do this post justice! (I'm sorry once again; I cannot figure out why my posts and pictures are all smooshed together. Forgive.)






I should also mention that some of the mothers got into the spirit of things and dressed up as well. Call me a party pooper if you want. Although I'm afraid if I had gone to the effort of getting "princessed up", I may have caused some of the princes' eyes to wander. And I wouldn't wish to do that. For a couple of reasons.








As you can see, Emily ate her dessert like a proper lady at the tea party with Belle. And this was Bayla, at the end of it all. Could be that the magic was beginning to wear off:) The girls had a lovely time in the company of princesses!

A World of Girls

I get asked on a regular basis if I am going to "try again for a boy". This seems like a perfectly logical question because
a) it is everyone's business, and b) I must somehow be feeling a void by not having a son.

When I was very young, I remember wanting a little sister so badly. So badly, in fact, that I dressed up my little brother Dave in my old dresses and imagined he was a girl. As such, I raised a playmate who partnered me in playing Barbies and Mall Madness. (Those who know Dave don't have a difficult time understanding this.) As I got older, I relished being the only girl. My brothers and I grew up very close, my dad insisted I was his "favorite daughter", and I got oodles of one on one time with my mom. No sisters to have to share her time and attention with.

As much as I loved growing up with brothers, I always wanted a bunch of girls. In my fantasies, I pictured my daughters being the best of friends, dressing up together, painting each other's nails, having tea parties, baking cookies with me, and sharing clothes and secrets about boys as they got older. (You can stop rolling your eyes; I know it's not going to be all rainbows and butterflies during the teenage years.) It's not all rainbows and butterflies now.

I LOVE my world with 3 girls. I love everything about having girls. The dolls, the dress-ups, the clothes, the shoes, doing their hair, baking with them, doing crafts with them, their sweetness (as well as their sass), their sensitive spirits, and getting to relive my childhood through them. I love watching them interact with each other, especially the way Katelyn and Emily coddle Claire. When they fight, it gives me a headache. When they snuggle up with each other, it gives me joy. I hope they'll always be close with each other and with me. And as much as it pains me to see them grow up so fast, I'm also excited for the fun we're going to have as they get even older.

I've got what I always wanted. And I love my world of girls.