The Things We Learn

My friend Moriah Densley blogs now and again about the crazy things her kids say and do, and her posts are always an 'ah-ha' moment of 'thank God I'm not the only one' for me. This week was picture week at bebe's pre-school. And I was reminded - yet again - how out of my depth I am a lot of the time as a girly-girl pre-school mom.

we call this the 'veil style', usually put beads at the Xs

Let me first say that, although I write romance novels and many of my heroines are smart and savvy and up-to-date on the designers of the moment....I'm so not. I've never been a girly-girl. Yes, I have a slightly-above-average shoe fetish and yes I probably own too many dresses. But my favorite outfits include track pants, jeans and tees. bebe? No, she is a girly-girl. She wants dresses and crowns and painted nails and her hair done just so and...every.single.day.

So, when I realized at 8:15 Wednesday morning that it was picture day - and we had to leave for school in 15 minutes, I knew there would be trouble. Threw bebe in the shower, did the fastest wash routine - like ever - and made sure her hair was nicely wetted down. Ran with her down the hall and into her room where every flippin' outfit I chose was 'not right, Mommy', 'no, I don't have the right shoes, Mommy' or 'it's not pink enough, Mommy'. bebe was finally satisfied settled for a way too cute pink-and-white plaid dress and the glittery-est pink shoes she owns and we were off. Oh! But I forgot her hair and, bebe being African-American means we can't just comb-and-go. No. There was de-tangling to be done and she wanted braids (only there was no time, bad mommy) so she wanted a veil-style with twists (only, again, no time, even badder mommy) and so she settled for 3 puff-balls after a lot of 'but we'll make them loose-and-free' cajoling from me - (In our house, loose-and-free means un-twisted, so very curly but gathered in 3 different ballies). Five minutes of de-tangling, conditioning and we were set.

an example of '3 balls'

And we got to school with a whole two minutes left.

Knowing how girly bebe is, I'm usually much more prepared - clothes laid out, hair done the night before. It's been a crazy week, though, and we haven't 'done' a big style. But lesson learned - always laying clothes out the night before. And no more laziness on hair day - there will be a style! In other words: Prepare! Always prepare!

One of our recent conversations:

bebe: Mommy, when are you going to be a girl?
Me: I am a girl, bebe, all the time.
bebe: No, girls wear dresses, Mommy.
Me: I wear dresses. Sometimes (muttering).
bebe: Girls wear dresses all the time, Mommy.

What have you learned from your kids? Or another unexpected source?