Lucky for me...

...I don't mind talking to strangers.

Sophia and I buzzed around town this morning. Went to some garage sales, Macy's, the grocery store, downtown. We were busy girls. I set out a t-shirt and shorts for her to wear on our outing. The shirt was acceptable, but the rest of her outfit apparently needed some tweaking.


(I took this on my phone. Click to see larger)

As we went here and there, Sophia got a few, "Love the hat!"s and more than a handful of chuckles and references to the diva, princess or "star." At one point in Macy's, the guy who was helping us out raved about her style then asked, "Did you pick out your outfit this morning?" Sophia didn't answer. **She only looked over her sunglasses and lifted her hat with her index finger. She made eye contact with him with eyebrows raised, and she let her hat back down.** He and I were speechless. I actually blushed. Finally, I shrugged as he laughed and said, "She doesn't get that from you?" Nope. In that moment, she surpassed any need for my involvement in her conversations with the public.

That brings me to my point. As we walked around and garnered attention from the young, old and in between, I thought about how stressed I would be if I were in introvert. I enjoy talking with lots of people, and Sophia does too. She's always quick with a "Thanks!" when someone compliments her style, so at least I don't have to intervene. Still, enough people want to connect with the spectacle's mother that it's a good thing I don't mind talking with strangers.

My Own Cinderella

I know Sophia well enough to start early in preparations for Halloween. She tends to have my personality in many, many ways. One being that she gets really excited about something, i.e. a Halloween costume, only to tire of it before it's time to wear it.

A couple weeks ago, Old Navy put out their Halloween costumes, and Sophia immediately attached to a very cute tiger outfit. I asked her many questions, offering other options like princesses, fairies, robots, the works, but she stuck with it. "No. I'll be a tiger. You'll be a mommy tiger." So we got the costume, but I left the tags on and kept the receipt.

A couple days ago, out of the blue, Sophia tells me she wants to be Cinderella for Halloween. Huh? She's never seen the movie. The only interaction she's had was in Florida months ago. She didn't want to be just any princess. Cinderella. So I told her we'd keep an eye out for a costume.

Next trip to Target, we found it. Cinderella dress. Last one in her size. So, we did it. Now I'm very glad we did. She tried it on when we got home and appeared to be the happiest little girl in the world. It's really a reminder to myself how good it feels to feel beautiful. That's what she felt. It was so apparent on her face as she beamed at us - especially at Erick.

She also felt like dancing.



Then she told Lulu that she could be Sophia's Prince.



Her final move was to sit down in her chair and actually pose like a princess. Apparently this is how she thinks princesses should have their portrait made.



I took the tags off. This is it. Sophia will be Cinderella on Halloween. That will be about the time I get the glitter cleaned off the floor from her twirling demonstration...

Girly

Sophia isn't exactly a girly girl - at least not yet. Her favorite thing is to get dirty and muddy. She can be a very scary dinosaur. She can be very loud when she so desires.

Every now and then, she lets her inner princess shine. I have been trying to get her to let me paint her toenails for a very long time. Just a few weeks ago, she finally agreed. On one condition. She had to paint mine first.

Here is her work in progress.



And here she is sitting patiently getting her toesies pink.



I love having a girl.