Saturday Morning Confessions

want to know something?
As excited as I am about having a baby girl, I'm a little worried too.
When I first found out I was having a boy I was thrown for a loop. But, as Matthew has gotten bigger I've gotten into quite the routine with a boy. Sure he's got a strong personality. And, I definitely have had to learn about cars and trucks and trains. But, in some ways, having a boy is easy.
He is easy to please. And there's lots of stuff I don't worry too much about. Of course I want him to have friends, but when I see him with the other kids at daycare, it seems like because he is a boy he fits in pretty easily with the other boys.
The other day I went to pick him up. He laid on the floor pretending to be dead, and his friend came over and gently kicked him. Granted the little boy's dad got upset and made him apologize, but both boys thought it was hilarious. When Matt brings his transformers to daycare they pull out the other cars and trucks and the boys are off and running, banging each other's toys and making loud noises.
Easy.
And then I watch the girls.
At the age of 3 and 4 there is already division in the ranks. There are little groups and they have certain tastes. Seriously, cliques at the age of 3. It's not encouraged by the daycare, but at the same time, it happens really naturally.
When it comes to clothing, Matt is really easy to please. He is thrilled if his t-shirt has a transformer, Diego or a dinosaur. He prefers pants that are easy to pull down (i.e. elastic waists). If I want to dress him up for a photo I do. And, if I feel like making his hair spiky he's happy.
I've been around both of my nieces to know that that is not the case with girls.
Don't get me wrong. I'm thrilled about having a girl. But, I'm terrified. I have paid close attention to my younger niece when it comes to stuff like clothes and shoes. I figure I have between 12-18 months before a girl starts dictating what she wants to wear. My niece, Paige, is 2, and she already knows what she likes and doesn't like when it comes to clothes. Once I tried to help my sister get her ready, and I was baffled by which pink dress the child wanted. I had to recruit her sister Kyla, 5, to help me out.
And as for Kyla and her clothes ... dear god! I took her shopping awhile ago. It was an incredibly fun experience, but the girl has preferences. She doesn't just want pink, she wants specific shades of pink.
And then there's the issue of whether she wants stuff with Princesses or Tinkerbell. I just learned last week that in her world princesses are out and Tinkerbell is in.
Ahhhh!
The last time I went to see my hairstylist we got on to the topic of kids and dressing them. I quite boldly told him that I think it's up to parents to help their kids by making sure that they are well dressed and fit in with their peers. I do sincerely mean that. I don't mean you need to dress your child head to toe in the most expensive clothes out there, but I think you need to help your child make good fashion choices so their peers don't mock them. Seriously! He laughed, and told me to give it a few years.
He doesn't have kids ... but he's really smart in pretty much everything.
And, I'm beginning to think he's right - it's not that easy.
And, that, my friends, is just a little of what I'm worrying about bright and early on a Saturday morning.