Kitty-Cat Sweatpants and Growing Up

 I had a moment in the grocery store today, when I was shopping for Christmas pajamas at a Black Friday sale. I found a cute pajama outfit for Lucy that had a fuzzy red shirt decorated with ice-skating penguins. I debated for a moment in buying it, wondering if Lucy would like the penguins. And a random memory from elementary school popped into my mind. I was in fifth grade - two years older than Lucy is now - and I was absolutely mortified because my mom had bought me a red sweatpants outfit with decorated with puffed-paint kitty cats and a tiger stripe design. I felt like I was way too old for kitty cats then and I really resented it when my mom made me wear the outfit to school one day (I think it was Valentine's Day, which is why my mom insisted on red). And I realize that I'm getting at a point now where it is hard to choose Lucy's clothes for her. She wants to be her own person and often choose her own style. She mentioned in a school assignment last year that she's "really good at fashion," so I should let her enjoy that more. And hopefully I won't put her in a mortifying situation like the one I found my fifth-grade self in. 

There have been a few moments where she has liked the aesthetic that I choose for her still, and her school picture this year was a good compromise. I choose the outfit (a vintage floral print with a shirt and skirt), and Lucy choose the butterfly headband (she did not want a hairdo) and the necklace. She did not want a hairdo, but she did agree to let me put mousse in her hair to help tame/shape her curls. This may be the last year that I get to have that much influence, though. I need to let her make more of her own choices.

This is what the full outfit looks like (she also wore it on the first week of school):

And yes, I did buy the penguin pajamas, not because of the penguins but I think that she'll really like the soft fuzzy red fabric. And if she hates the penguins, then I'll look for something more "tween" next year. Or maybe I'll start letting her choose her own Christmas pajamas, so she can be the fashionista that she wants to be on Christmas Eve.

Sam is still really easy when it comes to clothes and almost always wants me to make selections for him. He just wants things that are comfortable (e.g. sweatshirts, t-shirts and Levi jeans) and have neutral colors. But he has gotten into the habit of wearing button-up shirts for his school pictures, and he just doesn't seem to question that or consider what other options might exist. Really, Sam doesn't want to spend any more time thinking about clothes than he has to. He usually gets dressed with whatever clothes he pulls out of the drawer first.

These kids could not be more opposite, and not just in their attitudes toward clothing. I'm glad I get to be stretched as a parent and learn about different ways to connect with and teach them. I'm learning a lot about myself in the process, too.