to have a daughter

My girl loves to accessorize. It's funny--she's not a girly girl, not into princesses, doesn't like pink particularly, picked out a dragon to be for halloween, mostly likes to ride her spring rocking horse and play with blocks and push her shopping cart. But oh does she love necklaces and bracelets and watches and barrettes and purses and any kind of accessory really. She loves her back pack and hats and sunglasses and belts. Recently F requested (from what I considered nowhere) to have her toenails painted. I thought that would be all right. I gave her options of pale pink, light frosty blue, and bright pink. She chose the bright pink. She's been so excited about it that she removes her shoes to show everybody her toenails, including folks on the phone. After that she wanted her fingernails painted too. I don't feel comfortable with that because she still puts her hands in her mouth, so I told her painted fingernails were for older girls. Little girls could have their toenails painted but not their fingernails. And see, Mom doesn't have her fingernails painted, does she? But, I'm sure I don't need to tell you, that hasn't worked, and the request for painted fingernails has continued unabated. I have to admit that another reason I don't want to paint her fingernails is that she's only two and I feel like most folks (strangers) would not realize she's demanded this, but assume it's about my tastes and that I've decorated my daughter, that I want her to be a girly girl (which I really don't). I suppose I shouldn't care what they think, but I am trying to make friends these days, assessing nearly every mom I come across.

Today when I picked her up from daycare her teacher stopped me when I first came in the room and apologized--Frances had used magic markers to paint her fingernails. Of course, "painting her fingernails" really meant coloring from her middle knuckle up, as well as some of her palm. AND she not only did her fingernails, but she put on lipstick as well. Red fingernails, orange lips (and much of her cheek). They had tried to wash it off but had been only partially successful. All the way home she held up one of her hands to admire and said, "painted!"

Maybe I should just paint them for her....