My Girly Tomboy

When I found out that I was having a girl my heart jumped. I couldn't contain my excitement. Yes, I was happy to have a boy. Having healthy children is all any mother wishes, but a girl! Someone to play baby dolls with and to dress up in adorable dresses with big giant hair bows in her hair. I just couldn't wait. The moment she was born I swear she was the most beautiful baby in the world. My boys were beautiful too, but there was just something in the way my little girl looked up at me with her huge blue eyes that screamed I'm gorgeous.

The next few months were filled with sweet dresses, pink bows and eyelet diaper covers. Then she started to talk. Mae talked pretty early. I guess being a girl and the second child, who knows. But as soon as she could express herself it became clear that she didn't like "girly" stuff. I kept trying, though. I would dress her in the most beautiful dresses with maryjanes and a big bow to top it off. She hated it. She wanted to wear her brother's hand-me-down blue jeans with her frog t-shirt and frog boots. I tried buying her baby dolls, but it was no use. She never played with them. They were only good for stripping down and throwing against the wall. For one of her birthdays I told everyone to get her dress up clothes. She didn't like dolls or Barbies so I thought dress up clothes. Yes, that's girly. But no, they wouldn't do.

Now, Mae loves to dress up, but it has to be in old Halloween costumes or an old cowboy hat. She also loves to create her own outfits from her closet. She matches colors very well, but sometimes her outfits come out so crazy. I used to fight this tooth and nail and make her wear what I thought were cute outfits-complete with hair bow of course. She hated it. As soon as she got home she would go to her room and change her clothes to a more appropriate outfit. Something like pink sweatpants and a t-shirt with a sequenced American flag and blue striped socks with pink tennis shoes. (The girly part showing in the sequence.) She loves to dress herself. Not in tu tu's or princess costumes, but in her own clothes or a discarded Halloween costume. So I've given up. I let her dress herself in whatever she wants on the days we stay at home, and I give her choices when we have to go somewhere. This works pretty good as long as my choices meet her standards. We also had to cut her hair in a style that works with no hair bow. I lost that fight, too.

Mae also loves stuffed animals. This has taken the place of baby dolls. She has about 100 of these beloved stuffed toys. They take turns becoming her favorite. The chosen one of the week gets dressed up in diapers or old baby clothes and pushed around in a doll stroller. It also goes everywhere with us-car, grocery store, park, etc. I try to arrange them neatly on her bed or in a basket in her room. This just will not do. They are to be played with, not displayed. She loves animals. She wants a pet so bad, but wasn't so happy to find out that they pooped in the yard (the girly part coming through). So we got a fish.

Mae also loves to play outside. The muddier the better. She loves to dig in the dirt or sand and to find a stick to dig around with or a rock to admire. She is so intrigued with our new surroundings. I have to keep reminding her not to pick up rocks or rustle through bushes or she might find a bug or a snake! I'm worried that she might find the intriguing, but then I realize she is scared of big scary bugs and snakes. (Thank goodness for that girly part!)

She gets as dirty if not dirtier than her brothers as she runs and rips, but she must have scented soap or bubbles in her bath. She loves to paint her toenails and fingernails, but doesn't hesitate to put those painted beauties in an old pair of boots to go play.

People tell me that she may grow out of it, but I'm not so sure. I've come to love my little girly tomboy and all her unique quirks. She's made me realize that life is full of surprises. You see, people don't have to like the exact same things to have something in common, and if you let yourself go a little you might find that "something different" can be really fun!