clothes line

Everyday I'm faced with a decision. Not a big...life-changing one but a big one for me nonetheless. One that can speak volumes but, in the grand scheme of things really doesn't matter...especially not now. The decision? How to dress the Toddler. Not for weather or purpose but for personality...who she is. Take Shiloh Pitt and Suri Cruise for example. Both young girls, close in age, but very different...in style...that is. Are these choices made by their parents or are they, as Mama Cruise and Mama Pitt contend, the girls choices. "Shiloh wants to dress like a boy" per Angie and "Suri will not wear pants" per Kate. If that's the case I'm fine with it...choices are good. I'm anxiously excited to get to a point when my two year old can make those decisions...a costume in July, a cape with every outfit. I like the thought of that existential character coming out and seeing how her choices unfold but until then I can't help but feel I'm shaping her. After all, I'm the one that ultimately gives her the choices from which she will...er, choose. I'm the one that fills her closet and shelves. And I guess I just hope that I am matching her personality. Things she likes...things that are comfortable. I've been there, tugging at a hemline, clawing at a neckline, wishing I had on something else...letting my clothes ruin my day. But, I picked those clothes...I have no one to blame. From time to time I'll ask her what she wants to wear and in the sweetest..."duh" voice she says, "clothes". And I'm reminded that she's two, yet still sometimes I wonder if the clothes will "match" the child...teen...person, she will become. Nope, these aren't (really) life changing decisions, but...it's something I think about. I can remember certain outfits I wore growing up...ones I loved and ones I hated. I wore them despite the shorts being too short for my liking or the halter coming untied so many times that I took the skin off my neck re-tying it a million times. Yes, I was a bit older then but as menial as it is I can't help but think that these choices shape us. Smocked dresses or tutus with Converse sneakers? I lean toward the latter...the unexpected...the excitement of a bold color...after all, the toddler herself is well, unexpected...bold and exciting. And so, I've determined nothing...except...there will come a day when nothing in her closet will do, but if I love her no matter the bow-less, non-girly days, or pant-less Burberry dress filled toddler heels then that's all that matters. She'll make her choices, she'll become who she's meant to be and I'll look back on this and know that she became the editor of Vogue for a reason. Shaping her? What?

image credit: Bella Symphony's Etsy Shop