Thumb holes and fancy tights

We have had a very unseasonable cold snap come through our area over the past week.  Normally, July means long pool days, prayers of gratitude for air conditioning, and choking on the heat when I climb into my hot car.  This cold snap has dropped the temperature 20-30 degrees and created some marvelous outdoor weather.  It is too cold for the pool (at least for the girls and I–we are wimps).  It feels like an Australian winter day in the area where my family lives (Brisbane/Sunshine Coast, if you are familiar).  Brad, with his Wisconsin blood, would probably still brave the water if the girls asked him to (he’ll do anything the girls ask him to).  Instead of the pool, we’ve explored new playgrounds and gone for hikes.  Our schedule has been jam-packed with fun activities; a stark contrast from last year where we had very little on the calendar so that we could accommodate how I was feeling on any given day.

As we’ve reached for sweatshirts and jackets this week (in July!), I have noticed that Maren’s wrists are hanging out.  She needs some new layers.  My big six-year-old has opinions about her clothes these days: she still loves dresses and skirts, and anything else is unpredictable.  We wandered through the big girl section (size 7-16) at one of the big stores last week, and I was so sad.  Gone are the polka-dots, whimsy, and bright colors.  In their place is lacey trim, questionable wording like “Shake it” and “I’m faux real”, and an aesthetic that, quite honestly, makes me sad that little girls are growing up too fast.  I fully admit that I am conservative and perhaps even prude-ish when it comes to clothing, but I’m taking advantage of the years where I’m in the driver’s seat for clothes to start from a modest baseline.  Soon, I know, she will have opinions and want to express herself–clothes are only going to get harder around here.

On the way home I asked her, “Maren, what kind of things do you think you will want to wear to first grade?”

She said thoughtfully, “Well, I think I mostly still want to wear dresses and skirts.”

I asked, “What about when it gets cold outside?  Will you wear pants on colder days?”

“Well, maybe sometimes I will wear pants, but mostly dresses.  Remember those things that are kind of like socks but they cover my whole leg?”

“Tights?”

“Yes, tights.  I can wear tights under my dresses!  And boots!”

“Okay, well, what about sweatshirts or sweaters or warm tops?  What sounds good?”

“Well, the main thing I want is thumb holes.”

“Thumb holes?”  I’m thinking, what the what?  I was expecting: I want pink or As long as it doesn’t itch.

“Yes, you know how you have lots of shirts with thumb holes?”

“Yes.”  I do.  I love thumb holes in shirts.  I’ve always had cold, cold hands, and I love shirts/hoodies/jackets with thumb holes.  After I stop to think about it, I realize that half my winter wardrobe has thumb holes.  I can’t believe Maren has noticed this.  “Okay, kiddo.  Thumb holes.  We will do our best to find some tops with thumb holes for you this year, okay?”

“Okay Mom.  And can we get some fancy tights and boots?”

“Sure, kiddo, we can do that.  What are fancy tights?”

“Fancy tights have patterns or animals or shapes or something on them.”

“Oh, okay.”

Thumb holes and fancy tights.

That’s the direction we’re heading this year.  I love that I never would have chosen those as Maren’s fashion priorities.  I love that she picked something of mine that she wants to emulate.  I love that she wants to dress and act and look and play like the beautifully creative, smart, imaginative girl that she is.

I love being her Mom.  I pray we always have this much fun together.  She delights me.