Hmmm... Baby girl... she's really not quite a baby anymore like the photos above (age 2 1/2). Yesterday, when I came home with hair bands she was hesitant for me to "play" and put her hair in pig tails. "Mommy it makes me look little". And I told her that's exactly why I love it so much! Not wanting to hurt my feelings she let me play... we tied 2 pig tails on each side up high - and then opted for the 2 low pig tails. Her hair is still short but growing so the back of her hair just hangs down. When we skyped my parents... Pop Pop saw her and commented on how pretty her hair looked... and she liked that!
So this morning, she wakes up and decides that she wants me to put pig tails in her hair for school. I agreed to do it but got caught up jumping in the shower, feeding Mia, washing dishes and straightening up the house. 5 minutes before the bus arrives I say, "Oooh yea, Dani - let's fix your hair". Quickly throwing 2 piggies together, the left side slightly higher than the right - there was no time to fix it. Staring at the mirror she smiles and says, "thank you, mommy".
Together we walk outside with about a minute to spare. In that quick minute the girls who had already been waiting for the bus were huddled together. One gave Dani a look and whispered to the others - they all looked at Dani. Dani just stood by my side. I wonder if my babygirl felt at all self-conscious about her "new look", the pigtails that I SO LOVED yet at that moment I felt the urge to fix that lopsided piggy. There was no time, the bus was coming any second. Flashbacks of my own insecurities during times when I wanted to FIT IN and the awkwardness of change. I'm so blessed that I always had a GREAT support system with my friends and family.
As she stood by me, my arms around her. Protective. There's a few life lesson I'm sure... like BE TRUE TO YOURSELF and how life will always be changing! To ALWAYS BE BOLD AND TRY NEW THINGS... to not feel like she has to change just to fit in. We can't control what people say or do... but you can CONTROL HOW YOU REACT to whatever life throws your way! But the lesson just had to wait. The bus was here.
Staring out the window she signed "I LOVE YOU"... and the bus slowly drove away. I wondered would she take out the pigtails before she got to school? Was she even thinking about her hair... and am I completely over-analyzing this. Who knows? For all I know the girls could've been whispering how cute Dani's hair looks! It's funny how we can easily jump to conclusions about things... never getting all the details. How important it is to not assume.
.... 8 hours later ... she walks off the bus smiling - talking with all the girls - pig tails still in. I ask her how her day went. Then I ask her about this morning and if she felt funny about her hair today. Her response, "I felt so happy today mommy, I felt like my pig tails made me look cute!" She said she was standing by me before the bus came in the morning because she sensed something and felt UNSURE. It was a long day apart... and I was happy to squeeze those last moments together... to be her strength when she felt unsure. To pray with my kids every morning to be good examples, to shine GODS love in every way possible. I love my babies so much! PRAYERS PRAYERS PRAYERS... always praying!
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Whatever anyone thought about my girl today - she came home smiling! I worried for nothing. I can't help that the Momma Lion came out today... the over-protective mommy watching over her cub! Always anticipating.
Dani with her friends... such sweet & beautiful faces!
1 comment:
every once in awhile, your blog entry hits home for me, as well. this one did it! i think you got your message across to your little girl...it's such an important lesson to learn, one step at a time. why not start with pigtails? =) it's so important to teach them as soon as possible that they are their own person. i tell ben everyday, "you have your own brain, so you can think for yourself and make your own choices." it's kind of a weird way to say it, but it's as blunt as i can be to a five year old! oh, i can go on and on...but, you hit the nail on the head with this one! i loved it!
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