Our Sweet Little Life: Fashionista

Boy oh boy, how time flies when you're having fun. (Or, as it has been lately, you are outside doing yard work or playing with bubbles...note to Mother Nature: snow should dissolve leaves so this mama does not have to rake in the Spring. Thanks!)

Libby has hit yet another milestone. Sometime last week, she decided she could dress herself. She has helped pick out her clothes (especially her shoes) for some time and has always "helped" get herself dressed, but this is new. This is Little Miss Independent showing her mama what a big girl she really is.

The first day...she put her shirt on upside down but still managed to get her arms in the sleeves!

She is quite determined every morning as she approaches her dresser to pick out her clothes. I am no longer allowed to help...I have to stand at the door while she gathers up her panties first, then her shirt and pants, followed by socks. Some days she focuses rather intently on picking out exactly what shirt she wants, but sometimes she just grabs off the top. Those are the days I cringe...it has led to the development of some very umm, unique, clothing ensembles.

Then up she climbs on to her bed and proceeds to dress. It takes a good 5 to 10 minutes, but I can't help but stand there, watching and giggling to myself. I like to remind myself that I am not wasting time...who cares if the kitchen could use a wipe down or if breakfast needs to be made? I am making memories.

Panties go on first. The other day she learned the hard way that panties put on backwards result in some major wedgies. Her panties in the last couple of weeks have gone on backwards, inside out, inside out AND backwards, and through some miracle, forward facing, just the way they should be. (I am not allowed to fix her clothes after she puts them on, so usually her panties stay this way all day.) One leg goes in, then the other, at which point she stands up and does a dancing, hopping shimmy as she pulls them up those long skinny legs. The front always get covered, but sometimes those adorable baby cheeks get left hanging out. That's my favorite part.

Her shirt goes on next, after thorough examination of how exactly it should go on. Her head pops through shortly after she yells to me "Where Yibby go mama?!". The first arm always go in the sleeve easily...the second takes a little more work. Usually the shirt ends up facing the right way, but sometimes it doesn't.

Pants follow the shirt and to my surprise, take more work on her part to get pulled on than the panties or the shirt. She'll sit on her bed and push one leg through the pants and pull them as far up her leg as she can before attempting to get the second leg in. For some reason, that second leg wants to go in the same pant leg as the first leg, causing much frustration. Sometimes I am allowed to help steer her leg...usually, she ends up pulling off the pants and picking out a new pair. I don't quite understand the logic of this but I am occasionally thankful for it. (One day she would have ended up wearing a pink rainbow striped shirt with white and navy striped pants if she had been successful at putting those pants on. I am sorry, but that is a little too much pattern!) One both feed pop out of the pant legs, she is back on her feet, resuming the hopping, shimmy dance as she pulls her pants up to her waist. It is just too darn cute!

She finishes off with her socks, at which point her mama IS allowed to help. She tried a time or two to master the art of putting on socks, but it is a feat she has yet to master. I can't help but wonder if she just plays incapable in order to let me help, so that I can still feel like she is my baby.

Once her outfit is complete, she usually celebrates with a dance on her bed and a few "ta-da's" here and there. And of course, one very proud smile. That's my little girl!