Something I Don't Understand....

Here is my beautiful girly girl daughter. If you look closely you can see that she is wearing a frilly spring dress with some incredibly sparkly pink shoes, while playing in the dirt. She will wear her puffy dresses even on the coldest days. Our arguments usually go like this; ME: "Why don't you wear some pants today so that you stay warm and your legs don't freeze." HER: "I have to wear a dress!" M: (somewhat exasperated) "Why?" H: (equally exasperated) "Because I am a princess and girl princesses wear dresses." M: "Well Princess Jasmine doesn't wear a dress." H: "Well I DO! I have to wear a dress Mommy!"
At this point I give up and throw my hands into the air, all the while giving in and getting down her dress. I don't understand her. I love her dearly....but don't get her.

As a little girl I hated dresses....with a passion. I felt dumb in them, and hated how they felt on me. I hated to be sent to school and get screamed at by the P.E. teacher for wearing a dress on P.E. day. I hated the cold air nipping at my ankles, and the fact that wearing a dress translated into wearing dress shoes. Given the choice I would have gladly picked pants and tennis shoes over dresses any day! As I grew into my teen years and started playing sports and working at the vets office I wore pants far more often. (Mostly it became my choice as I began picking my own clothes) Scrubs were required for work and one just doesn't show up to play basketball in a dress. However, there were still the mandated times and occasions that I was made to wear a dress . My fight with my mom became about the length of the said dress. If it wasn't to my ankles or longer I wasn't interested. Many dressing room conversations with my mom went like this; MY MOM; "What is wrong with this one?" ME: "Ugh! I look stupid, like I am waiting for a flood or something." MM: "You do not, stop being ridiculous!" ME: "I am not being ridiculous, it's just not long enough!"
We would both sigh with frustration and give up. I would be mad because I didn't want to get another dress. Mom would be mad because she didn't understand why I wanted my dress so long.

Now with some changes in my life and some long conversations with Wilfred, I wear pants pretty much everyday. Its not that I am against dresses, I guess I just don't see the point of them. I do have a hard time with the modesty argument. I remember beating off many boys who were trying to peek up my skirt as a kid. So to me how is that modest? If I was wearing jeans I didn't have those problems. Now, I don't agree with jeans when they are painted on a woman. That is just gross and immodest. The same goes for mini skirts, tube tops, midriff tops, and skin tight dresses. I guess for me the issue of modesty comes down to not necessarily what your wearing (dress vs pants) but how you are wearing it.

Back to my original thought with Lindsy. I don't understand her need or drive to wear dresses all the time. I can say I do understand that she is a GIRLY girl. To be completely honest I am a bit jealous of her girly style. I have always longed to be more feminine and a bit girly. I just feel like I don't know how. Without a doubt I know Lindsy is one of my many gifts from God. So while I may not understand her.....I guess I should step back and learn a thing or two about being a girl! After all dresses aren't really that bad. I did just get a beautiful, floor length one from the maternity store this last weekend. It is for a wedding next month. Oh, and yes I did say the maternity store. We are expecting baby #4 in November. Another gift from God!