a real woman

As soon as Ada's personality started to come out, it was clear that she was all girl. She wanted to sit and read books (and still does). She has always loved a good costume, and already elicited promises from me for when pierced ears, high heels, lipstick, mascara, boyfriends will be appropriate.

(for the curious and for when she tries to argue with me later:



Pierced Ears: Ash Wednesday of Sixth Grade (So she can wear new and beautiful earrings for Easter that year - you know, how you have to wear the ugly little ball studs for six weeks before you can take them out and put in pretty earrings? I got mine pierced six weeks before sixth grade graduation so I could wear pretty little earrings during the ceremony. Well, who knows if Ada will have a sixth grade graduation, but we'll always have Easter, right?)

High Heels: Thirteen (And still not like pumps - just the little teenage square-type high heels)

Lipstick: Twelve

Mascara: Fourteen

Boyfriends: Thirty Seven. (she laughs. I don't. until later. when I laugh a lot).


She's a girl's girl. She loves to set a table, light a candle, arrange a flower. She loves to dress to the nines, have a 'braided crown'.

I've often lamented this. I had two little brothers and was the best of friends with the little boys in the neighborhood. I've wished for her to be a little more play-in-the-mud, wear-camo-to-ensure-a-win-at-capture-the-flag, catch-snakes, bruises-on-legs-the-origin-of-which-we-know-not type of a girl.

Please don't get me wrong. I could write books about the importance of femininity and masculinity and how much we want our boys to grow into men and our girl to grow into a real woman. I am so proud of her love of beauty and of creating the perfectly textured whipped cream. I look forward to her womanliness growing more and more. But, so much of childhood is dirty and romping and just plain kid fun. I haven't wanted her to miss out while primping in front of the mirror.


But, there is no need to worry. Her little brothers have begun their epic influence. Her best guy friends' ideas have started to creep in. And the other day, I looked over, and:



I believe she's having plenty of kid fun.

(Incidentally, hang a lizard from your ear sometime soon. It's a thrill).