Through the years, I've had various experiences with trying to get myself dressed every day. Early in my life, my Mom had three classifications for my clothing: Church, school and play. Items purchased for one moved down to the next when it was no longer 'good enough' for its intended purchase. These guidelines were strictly enforced with not only my clothes, but my shoes. In other words, new tennies were NOT to be worn to play in. When you got home and headed out to play, you changed from head to toe ensuring your clothing would last longer in its nice state. When I became a Mom, this is how I classified the boys clothing. Hey, it works!
When I was old enough to start making my own decisions about my clothing, I had my own style based on just a few cherished pieces of clothing. Some of my fondest memories are wrapped up in a few specific outfits - the brown corduroy hip hugging pants with the plaid shirt, the denim skirt with the yellow shirt and of course my prized blue checked hip hugging bell bottoms that my Mom so carefully repaired for years so would last another season, paired with white t-shirts of various kinds. Yeah, I was a girl of simple tastes.
When I was pregnant with Laura and discovered through ultrasound that she would be a girl, I began to gleefully plan wardrobes full of pink, pink and more pink with a few dots of other colors just to balance out the palette. Hair ribbons, head bands, and barrettes danced in my dreams along with lacy socks and tights of all colors. I was actually going to get to shop for a girl instead of buy just the basics often offered for boys. I couldn't wait!
The night before I was due to deliver, my Mom took a picture of Laura's closet. Needless to say, it was all pink. Honestly. Two rows of nothing but pink. Well, there was some white and a bit of yellow and light blue in there, but honestly it was hard to see amidst all of the pink. Her room was pink (by default because that's how the previous owners had painted it so it worked!), her accessories so thoughtfully provided by friends were all pink, and her blankets, sheets and such were even pink! Yes, pink ruled the day. And I didn't mind. Apparently, neither did Laura!
Yes, pink is her color. When we look at hair accessories, shoes, tights, clothing, sleep sacks, toys, stuffed animals, babies, sleeping bags, and even food - if it is pink, she wants it. Totally. She is in love with pink from the bottom of her toes to the very tip top of the highest hair on her head. And sometimes, that can be so frustrating!
Let's take our usual morning routine. It goes something like this:
Me: Laura! It's time to get dressed. What do you think you'd like to wear today?
Laura: Pink.
Me: I know pink - but what? A dress? (If possible this is generally a given but pink winter dresses are hard to come by so when it is cold out, we have to compromise or do a light run daily. We compromise...)
I continue: Or how about a pair of jeans and a shirt?
Laura: Just pink, Mom.
Me: I know you want to wear pink. But what? A dress or pants? (I figure if I narrow it down, I can get somewhere)
Laura: Pink.
Me: *sigh* Okay, how about this outfit (holding up a comfy, warm one) or this outfit? (holding up another comfy, warm one)
Laura: No. I want Pink.
Me: Your pink ones are dirty. Do you want to wear this or this? Look, this one has some pink flowers up here on the shirt. How about that one?
Laura, looking over at her closet and plotting: No. I want to wear Pink. How about that one? (pointing to an outfit designated "to wear out" not "play")
Me: This or this.
Laura: Hmmmm... (still looking at her closet) How about the pink jeans? (for the record, they are in the wash)
Me, moving in to her line of vision so she can't see the closet: This or this
Laura, silent for a moment and then: JONATHAN! Can you come here for a minute?
Yes, she's plotted to get around me. She's calling for someone to save her from Mommy's choices. As I get her dressed in my pick for the day while she fusses, I realize I either need to quit leaving the closet door opened or I need to get more pink items for her to choose from.
Pink. Around here, it is more than just a color. It is a category of clothing all to itself. It is a lifestyle. It is... Laura.
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1 comment:
So funny , as I was reading your post, I realised my mom had the same classification for clothes. The only exception was that church clothes were called "sunday clothes" and stood as church and important event clothes. Funny how nowadays I look at a wardrobe full of clothes and think "doh, I have nothing to wear"
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