Miss Priss

I've seen it before. I'll be at the park with the kids, and looking around, I notice all of the children: some playing in the sand, others on the playset, and still others just chasing each other around. They're all wearing clothes that can take a beating, that can get a little dirty. Then I'll see her: a bouncy little girl who comes zooming down the slide and lands in the pile of dirt at the bottom. She's not dressed in her romping clothes; rather, she is decked out in a frilly dress and fancy shoes. And I think to myself, Why did that mother dress that poor little girl in those clothes? How is she supposed to have any fun in that dress? That poor little girl.

I get it now. No longer will I worry about whether or not that little girl is having in fun in her fancy schmancy dress. Because, you see, it was most likely her choice to wear that fancy dress. In fact, it is probably her request each and every day to wear a fancy dress. When it comes time to get dressed in this household, the Princess' request is always the same: "I wear my new dress?" Now, two months ago, she actually did have a few new dresses; I bought them for church. For church! Of course, now that she's worn her Sunday dresses over and over, they are rather old and tired so that when I pull one out, she responds indignantly, "THAT'S not my new dress!" Well, excuuuuse me, Your Highness! New or not, she'll take the dress over shorts and a t-shirt any day. And the fancier the better. The look of absolute delight that takes over her face when she is given an opportunity to wear one of her "fancy dresses" is priceless.

Where did this little girl come from? I am all about simple and comfortable. What I'm not about is fancy! No frills, ruffles, or lace for me. But this little one? She is only happy when she's surrounded by fancy. And she's the first child I've ever known to be equally as happy over a gift of clothes as a new toy. Usually, the gift bags full of clothes from Grandma and Grandpa are the ones I ooh and aah over (because that's less money I have to spend to clothe these children), while the kids completely ignore them and turn their attention to new toys. The Princess? She looks at each new article of clothing very carefully and then wants to carry her new clothes around for the rest of the day.

All I can say is: If we move, the girl's gonna need a bigger closet!