And then I had kids
Here is Brooklyn modeling the latest in grocery shopping couture.
Our model is wearing a Bears jersey, topped with a lovely hot pink coat with attached blue mittens. The flirty tutu makes this ensemble sing! And the whole outfit is topped off with a pair of kicky boots in an irresistible hot pink. This outfit is great for going to the park, the grocery store, or playdates at McDonald's playland.
And here is Brooklyn modeling her Sunday best.
Nothing says, "I'm ready for Sunday school like a Snow White costume! Our model is also wearing adorable socks with pink and red hearts all over them. (It was almost as if she knew our bible verse of the day was going to be "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God.") This whole ensemble was topped off with a pink fire helmet which was 'accidentally" left in the car when we arrived at church.
The reason why kids dress like this? Because they can.
The reason parents don't make them change? Because it's not worth fighting over. Pick and choose your battles, my friends. Pick and choose.
Mine have gone out in some crazy outfits, too! I'd rather fight over something more important than this too.... Anyway, when they do this it kinda reminds me of Punky Brewster, which was my favorite show when I was not much older than my kids are. :)
ReplyDeleteMy kids are remarkably responsive to 'wow, that's quite an outfit! all of those things together are a bit much - please pick one and we'll find something that goes with it better'. It doesn't always work, of course, and I don't push it unless it's school picture day or something, but it reduces my cringes. :)
ReplyDeleteI dunno, without the pink fire helmet the whole look kind of falls apart. ;-)
ReplyDeleteIf only adults could dress like that with such abandon! What if I want to wear a snow white costume with hot pink socks, huh??
I am a nanny to twin boys who sport superhero costumes almost every day! Brooklyn is too cute. In the first pic, she looks like Savannah, and in the second one she looks like Lexington.
ReplyDeleteLovely, lovely! You are so right! Clothing choice is one battle not worth having. The only time I was insistent on what they wore, was when I was paying for pictures to be taken!
ReplyDeleteShe is absolutely adorable! (You might want to think of emceeing Little Miss Talent shows! Your narrations are "to the point" and hilarious!)
Great post!
Haha, love it! Yesterday my 2 1/2 year old was wearing a yellow shirt, yellow sweatpants, yellow underwear, yellow socks, and a yellow raincoat. Can you guess her favorite color? And yes, we went to storytime at the library dressed like that.
ReplyDeleteWe went to see our daughter and her family one weekend and our then-three year old granddaughter looked like she'd gained 20 pounds. Turns out that she'd dressed herself and put on all of her clothes. She had about ten complete outfits on-and was barefoot. And it was late spring-too warm for even TWO layers!!
ReplyDeleteOMG!! hahah I love it!! that is EXATLY what i preach in this house!! Pick Your Battles! She looks SO adorable.
ReplyDeleteNo kidding!! Those with kids will get it, and those without kids...maybe someday they will learn. Clean hands, clean face, we're all good to go!! (mom of 4, currently 20,19,17,15 years old)
ReplyDeleteDawn, Congrats to you for knowing when to pick and choose the battles. This can be a hard one for parents to figure out, including myself. Sometimes, I really have to remember to take a deep breath and walk away sometimes. And I remind myself that in 10 years from now am I going to remember what my child wore to go grocery shopping with me? Keep up the great blogging. You always put a smile on my face. And remember that you have a lot of faithful fans and you are in my heart and prayers as you and your whole family go through the divorce. You have a great talent in being a Mom and finding things that we can laugh about in everyday events. Thanks! Marie W.
ReplyDeleteI too have kids that are allowed to "express" their creative side. One had on a white turtleneck with silver snowflakes, a white corduory skirt with purple flowers, pink tights with rainbow striped hearts and brown ballet flats. And to top it all off bedhead. Such a fashion plate.
ReplyDeleteWhy make her change, battle or no. She looks adorable and yeah, kids can get away with it. Adults who dress like this are called Rock Stars.
ReplyDeletePerfect! She is adorable!!!! Your narrations are great too. So you have stuff that accidentally get lost in the car too? My oldest figured out that I throw stuff away when they go to grandmas. So when we moved they went to grandmas while I packed and she packed a bag of junk er treasures and took them with her!!!
ReplyDeleteExcellent on pick your battles...to this day, I remember an outfit I chose myself for kindergarten one day: blue starched pinafore (yes that dates me) cinched with a brown cowboy belt. I was traumatized that my mother and my then visiting uncle from West Point would not let me go to school like that. Who knows, I could have been the next Dale Evans...
ReplyDeleteMy daughter has been going to daycare the last few days she has been there. Rather than fight the tantrum in the morning it's just easier to let her wear them and send clothes with. Luckily I have the most amazing daycare provider who is more than willing to get my daugther dressed when she is ready. It saves me a headache and the risk of being late to work. Oh and we "accidentally" leave things in the car as well.
ReplyDeleteIt is awesome! Not only because they are finding out who they are...and that they do have some control...but also AWESOME because later you can bring them out at those teenage parties for humiliation! AWESOME!! And they have no-one to blame but themselves...ha!
ReplyDeleteQuite honestly, I've seen adult celebrities dress like Brooklyn in her grocery store outfit! I think she looks cute!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've got the guts to let my kid go to church in her Snow White dress (much to her chagrin). Kudos to you!
ReplyDeleteShe does however, wear it most of the rest of the time. Along with her sister who wears her Ariel costume. I've definitely got my money's worth out of their halloween costumes this year!
My boys love to dress themselves! My 5 yo thinks 2 different camouflages match because they are both "army". I let them choose whatever they want, but if we are going somewhere they should match, I tell them they have to wear jeans. They also love to be "belly bare", I allow when we are home with no company. I agree, definitely not worth the battle!
ReplyDeleteTruer words were never spoken. 2 of my 3 girls are exactly like this. I wish I had learned the "pick your battles" lesson with the older one...it would've saved a lot of ugly melt-downs (for BOTH of us!). We had this debate in our ladies' class at church. One of the girls was mortified b/c her son only wanted to wear jeans and his cowboy hat (like his daddy). She said "Is that normal?" I could only laugh and say "HAVE YOU SEEN MY CHILD?? She is in a long sleeved pink dress in summer with the neck seam ripped, spaghetti sauce stains all over the front, and red sparkly "Dorothy" shoes. She did her own hair. Pick.your.battles!"
ReplyDeleteExactly! Which is why my then-3 year old wore mismatched Princess heels to the library. Why bother fighting? Save that fight for when she's 17 and "not leaving the house looking like that." :)
ReplyDeleteWhenever I see a child "modeling" as yours does....I only ask myself one question....ARE THEY CLEAN? If yes...then I know their mama loves them!!
ReplyDeleteIt took the longest time to convince my husband that he would not die of shame if he took the kids to the store looking like that. Because anyone with eyes KNOWS the kids dressed themselves that day!
ReplyDeleteHey at least she IS wearing clothes.
ReplyDeleteMy youngest often puts together interesting ensembles. Any you're absulutely right, it's not worth the figt! Brooklyn is adorable :)
ReplyDeleteAs long as she is happy, healthy and NOT screaming her little head off, I say let her wear what she wants! Adorable
ReplyDeleteLOVE IT! So funny/cute and I can see how I totally would do the same thing (not fight them over clothes when they're toddlers) if I had my own kids! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for always bringing a smile to my day! :)
SHE IS SO ADORABLE.... My DH looked at me one day and said "did you see what he is wearing?" and I simply looked at him and said "yes, and he did it all by himself!"
ReplyDeleteOn days when my daughter was wearing some crazy outfit she had put together I always wanted to make her wear a button or sign that read "I dressed myself today". Sometimes I still do and she's 13!
ReplyDeleteXD I LOVE Brooklyn's facial expression in the second picture!
ReplyDeleteBrooklyn is adorable! She reminds me of my daughter who has similar ensembles at that age (even down to the same pink cowboy boots).
ReplyDeleteMy daughter developed her willingness to pick her own clothes at a very young age and IMO, it was one less thing I had to do for her, so I let her.
She is now 7 and still has some outfits that don't match, but whatever floats her boat.
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Rom 12:2) Her mind is just renewed! Go Brooklyn! (p.s. my youngest son's "blankie" was one of my nursing gowns..THAT was awkward to explain to the church ladies!
ReplyDeleteHey, we have that Bears jersey, too... and I see Brooklyn still fits into those boots, lucky you! Little Miss tends to come up with some fairly entertaining outfits, too. It must be a girl thing. At least this way we don't have to worry about early boyfriends, right?
ReplyDeleteYou are so funny to document all this for future use...read...blackmail, for when Brooklyn gets older! My daughter used to dress like that as well and you are right, pick your battles! Now when I see a child dressed like Brooklyn I think its cute and creative!
ReplyDeletestranger: your child's shoes are on backwards.
ReplyDeleteme: yeah? oh so they are. huh.
stranger: you gonna fix it?
me: nope. they're on his/her feet. I told him/her they were backwards, but nothing made a difference. if there's a complaint about pained feet, I'll suggest switching them.
I'm sure as E dresses herself later, I'll be revisiting this conversation somewhere again too. As long as their cash and prizes aren't on display, we're good.
My kids have never had much of an opinion about their clothing. They're happy to wear whatever I lay out for them! They're 5 and almost 9.
ReplyDeletePick Your Battles. I think that is my motto ever since kind #2. It's always great to see someone else's kid dressed like that! It means they're happy and you love them enough to let them be happy!
ReplyDeleteAnd we don't make them change because they are just too darn cute! :)
ReplyDeleteUmmmm....I'm assuming you read Fancy Nancy to Brooklyn? She would LOVE those books, I have a 3 year old just like her and we can't live without them.
ReplyDeleteRecently my 4 year old wore a yellow and white t shirt, red and blue plaid skirt, red and white candystripe tights and yes the same pink boots as Brooklyn to the supermarket. An older (crabby) woman made a comment about her outfit and how I let her go out dressed like that and I simply responded yes I did and she should feel fortunate that she had the opportunity to meet her because with her creativity, she will be famous someday. She walked away. My kids make me smile every day. And you keep us laughing. Keep up the great work!!!
ReplyDeletePRICELESS !!!!
ReplyDeleteYour little girl is just darling.
I hope you make a scrapbook of all these styles she loves. LOL
I must be a mean mom. My 4 year old is currently in the bedroom stomping around as she changes out of jammies so we can go to the grocery store.
ReplyDeleteIt's so true though, we would look at the kids and say to ourselves I can't believe that they let her/him out of the house looking like that!! HAHA, what nieve fools we were, now we are just content if they behave in public! Screw the clothes they are wearing...my child just behaved to whole time we were out!! lol
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Your daughter is a cutie!
Lynn
You are so awesome! Thanks for the laugh! The more and more kids I have (OK- I only have 3!) I realize how unimportant some things are worth battling over. You are so right!
ReplyDeleteI often let my kids dress themselves,and if sometimes it's a little over the top, I tape a little sign to the back of their shirt that says, "I dressed myself today - ain't I cute!" We get so many chuckles!
ReplyDeleteLove your blog. And love Brooklyn's outfits. My son once went to the grocery store in August in his fleece lion costume. It was sweltering but he didn't complain one bit because it was his choice to wear it. We got some strange looks for sure.
ReplyDeleteCute! My kids are 17 now so we don't get that any more. I remember when they used to go out in their snow boots even when they didn't need them just because they liked them....Wait...That was last week.
ReplyDeleteas long as mine had panties on... either on top of or under her clothing... did not matter... as our trips with out were a bit embarrasing... i have photo proof of my little queen and her outfits... we had professional pictures made in an old rag that was MY dress when i was little and plastic barbie heels in teel / pea green... and the said child who is now 18 asks me WHY i allowed such... I picked the battles and her clothes were not it... as long as she had panties on!
ReplyDeleteps LOVE YOUR CHOICES there MISS BROOKLYN!
Yep, that's the way to do it! Brooklyn looks absolutely adorable! And the way you've written about it - priceless!!! I've gotten a raised eyebrow or two when my girl goes out, but who cares? She is happy, she is dressed and we can leave. I too pick my battles, something our friends, who are now starting to have children, is slowly learning. As long as she won't be too cold or in rags, she can choose her own outfits. I have to say, most of the time it looks way worse when her father picks out her clothes...
ReplyDeleteWhat a timely post, my 4 year old dressed herself for school today in a Jingle Bells shirt and I just shook my head and laughed.
ReplyDeleteMy 8 yo ds has Sensory Processing Disorder and is very tactiley defensive. He HATES buttons, zippers, anything too loose or too tight, the list goes on and on. I learned long ago to let the clothing battles slide. As long as he's covered we're happy. I have had well meaning little old ladies tell me "He should have a coat on!" in the winter, but I bite my tongue and just know that I know my kid better than they. His preferred outfit is nothing but undies, but we have found a few T-shirts and shorts that he can wear comfortably too.
ReplyDelete-Beth in MI
Love it Love it LOVE IT! You go, Brooklyn! I'm totally there with you, Dawn. Got a few posts like this of my own. :)
ReplyDeleteHehe! That second outfit reminds me of when I was five. Apparently, during the summer, I wore the same Sleeping Beauty costume (homemade, not store-bought), every day for about three weeks!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I did not pair it with pink and red heart covered socks. That would have been stylish.
I am the mother to 4 2/3 (due in May) children. I also used to direct a preschool. I could always tell the parents who let their kids chose their outfits and I loved seeing their personalities shine through. My own kids have their own taste (ahem...if you can call it that) and frequently go out non matching or dressed like policemen or superheroes. You are so right it's not worth the fight!
ReplyDeleteBrooklyn dresses just like my high school students! no worries.
ReplyDeleteI, too, used to wonder at the finery I saw on parade at the grocery store, at church, at Target. Didn't these parents see their kids when they were walking out the door for the outing? And then I, too, had my own. Sometimes, boots and shorts with a superman cape is A-Okay if it means we can get with our day. It's in the handbook. You know, the one they don't give you until you've had toddlers.
ReplyDeleteYou know, the first outfit is not too bad, actually. She might be a dress designer in the making... Really!
ReplyDeleteI think we've all been there. :) I remember the first time I let my daughter pick out her own clothes and dress herself. She looked ridiculous but she was so proud!! It's the little things that make them happy and I've learned not to sweat the small stuff.
ReplyDeleteAmen and amen to kids dressing themselves. I post every week my "fashion tips" - which are usually from my kids in their "I dressed myself like this" glory. And they bring so much joy to the outside world when they deck out in princess gear, unmatched shoes, and weather inappropriate attire. Go on Brooklyn, go on.
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