The Howler goes to preschool. The preschool is included in the Christmas Concert program. I find out on Friday before the Tuesday concert. I have to get my schedule at work changed, and I have to find the Howler a Christmas dress.
Of course, the Howler announces to me, that Friday, "I need the prettiest dress, Mommy. I can't be wearing just any old thing--I'll be embarrassed."
So, the Howler and I go on the hunt Sunday. We hit, I kid you not, 5 stores--trying on at least 6 dresses--before I find dresses that are not too long, and fit her little overfed puppy belly--and, most importantly, that aren't sleazy. Yes, dresses in 6-6X are SLEAZY these days.
I find 3 that are cute, but I can't make the decision. A red one, a green one, and a purple one. The red one just doesn't do justice to the Howler. The more I looked at it, the less I liked it. The green one is big girl looking, without being sleazy like some of what I've looked at today. The purple one is cute, but I don't like it as much. It's got a bigger collar in cream with purple and cream rosettes, and while it's cut way looser, I just like the green one best.
She and I agree that Daddy can have final say.
Daddy chose the green. We did, however, decide that since the Howler adores the purple dress so very much, we will give that to her for Christmas from us. We haven't bought her any dresses since last year, and so 2 new, fancier dresses for church this winter will not be a terrible thing.
My mother, however, decided that the green dress is too long, the red one is nicer, and that the Howler should wear the red one. I told her how much EACH dress cost (and while I do not begrudge the cost, as she will get that much wear out of the 2 we are going to keep), and that my aunt is going to pay for one dress, my mother still is insisting, Tuesday afternoon, that the red dress is THE DRESS the Howler will wear. She even tries to incite the Howler to riot over it. (Luckily, the Howler knows ME well enough to know that if I say she'll wear the green one, no amount of fit pitching will get her into any other dress).
As for "too long" I took a tape measure and measured from the shoulder, at the collar, on each dress. The red dress, deemed "shorter", was actually 32" long to the hem, and the green dress, deemed "too long", was 31.5" inches, including the crocheted hem. My mother, when informed, told me I measured wrong.
So, my mother, at this time, also decides that she will come down and put rollers in the Howler's hair. Fine. The concert is at 7pm. My mother is here to roll the Howler's hair at 2pm. At 4pm, when there are no rollers or curls in the Howler's hair, my mother is peeved.
How hard is it to figure out that the Howler is an exorbitantly active child, excited about the concert, has a slight cold, AND is opposed to ANYTHING that is put IN her hair--the rollers will NOT be long lived? It's not like this is a surprise. I put the rollers BACK in her hair at 4pm.
My mother, at the concert, actually walked past me, barely acknowledging that I was there. She sat, ignoring me, until the preschoolers came out and onto the stage.
The Howler had curls in her hair, and the GREEN dress on. On a stage full of little girls in red, red & black, and red & white, the green was outstanding!
By the end of the concert, my mother was fine. By yesterday at 5pm, my mother was absolutely fine. She learned the hard way, 2 years ago, that if a tough, angry old bird wants to pitch tantrums at me, she will sit, by herself, and stew until she tenderizes.
The red dress, btw, was returned, unworn, yesterday morning, and my mother is happier today than she was yesterday.
Of course, the Howler announces to me, that Friday, "I need the prettiest dress, Mommy. I can't be wearing just any old thing--I'll be embarrassed."
So, the Howler and I go on the hunt Sunday. We hit, I kid you not, 5 stores--trying on at least 6 dresses--before I find dresses that are not too long, and fit her little overfed puppy belly--and, most importantly, that aren't sleazy. Yes, dresses in 6-6X are SLEAZY these days.
I find 3 that are cute, but I can't make the decision. A red one, a green one, and a purple one. The red one just doesn't do justice to the Howler. The more I looked at it, the less I liked it. The green one is big girl looking, without being sleazy like some of what I've looked at today. The purple one is cute, but I don't like it as much. It's got a bigger collar in cream with purple and cream rosettes, and while it's cut way looser, I just like the green one best.
She and I agree that Daddy can have final say.
Daddy chose the green. We did, however, decide that since the Howler adores the purple dress so very much, we will give that to her for Christmas from us. We haven't bought her any dresses since last year, and so 2 new, fancier dresses for church this winter will not be a terrible thing.
My mother, however, decided that the green dress is too long, the red one is nicer, and that the Howler should wear the red one. I told her how much EACH dress cost (and while I do not begrudge the cost, as she will get that much wear out of the 2 we are going to keep), and that my aunt is going to pay for one dress, my mother still is insisting, Tuesday afternoon, that the red dress is THE DRESS the Howler will wear. She even tries to incite the Howler to riot over it. (Luckily, the Howler knows ME well enough to know that if I say she'll wear the green one, no amount of fit pitching will get her into any other dress).
As for "too long" I took a tape measure and measured from the shoulder, at the collar, on each dress. The red dress, deemed "shorter", was actually 32" long to the hem, and the green dress, deemed "too long", was 31.5" inches, including the crocheted hem. My mother, when informed, told me I measured wrong.
So, my mother, at this time, also decides that she will come down and put rollers in the Howler's hair. Fine. The concert is at 7pm. My mother is here to roll the Howler's hair at 2pm. At 4pm, when there are no rollers or curls in the Howler's hair, my mother is peeved.
How hard is it to figure out that the Howler is an exorbitantly active child, excited about the concert, has a slight cold, AND is opposed to ANYTHING that is put IN her hair--the rollers will NOT be long lived? It's not like this is a surprise. I put the rollers BACK in her hair at 4pm.
My mother, at the concert, actually walked past me, barely acknowledging that I was there. She sat, ignoring me, until the preschoolers came out and onto the stage.
The Howler had curls in her hair, and the GREEN dress on. On a stage full of little girls in red, red & black, and red & white, the green was outstanding!
By the end of the concert, my mother was fine. By yesterday at 5pm, my mother was absolutely fine. She learned the hard way, 2 years ago, that if a tough, angry old bird wants to pitch tantrums at me, she will sit, by herself, and stew until she tenderizes.
The red dress, btw, was returned, unworn, yesterday morning, and my mother is happier today than she was yesterday.
2 comments:
Size 2 dresses are sleazy these days. I'd really love to see a pic of K in her dress.
Hehehe sometimes Mom's just have to learn the hard way.
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