Thursday, November 11, 2010

These Boots Are Made For Walkin'

These boots.

Right now they are sitting, in their box on the floor of my closet. But why? Why, you ask? They are adorable! They are hip!  Trendy!  Chic! How cute would they be with black tights, a knee length skirt (maybe a blackwatch plaid? With buckle detail?), and a cream shirt! Can you just see it? I could flip my hair up in a little bob, maybe wear a coordinating headband. Could you just die?

*sigh* I could.Yes. So I have the boots. In a size 13. Yeah. As in a girls size 13. Because they are for Violet. *I think*

I may have mentioned that Sunday was a difficult day for Violet and I, remember? Well, after our inspiring morning at church, she and I went to the mall for (wait for it) church clothes. Shopping for clothes with a 7 1/2 year old who has just figured out that mommy might be a tad upset. Fun! And? I tried to have a gentle talk with her about what happened at church on the way to the mall. It did not go well. And that's all I have to say about that. Anyway.

We tried H & M. I ran screaming from the store. I'm not going into details. Whorish clothes, etc. Even Violet was like, "Why can I see through this dress?"

So we went into The Children's Place. I was disappointed with amount of selection I had, but thank you Jesus, we have clothing that covers my baby's body!! She? Did not like any of it.

I seriously had about 6 different items, and she turned her pert little nose up at every single one of them. She was in love with the only ugly dress they had. The only ugly one. C'mon! (Mom. Really? This bad. Was I this bad?) I grabbed the hideous dress and all the other -5!- choices and herded her into the dressing room. I shoved her into the dress, all the while chirping about how cute it was and how she was going to look just like icarly. Judge me. I don't care. Desperate times, people, desperate times. We got the dress on and her poor little face just fell. I fussed with it a bit, trying to make it look good, but really, it was one of those dresses that only a stick figure can wear -- and she's 7. Don't get me started. I yanked off the dress and started chirping again about the other clothes. And the blackwatch plaid skirt with buckle detail? Score! Cream shirt? Score! Add in black tights! Yes, we have a winner! She was easily swayed into another skirt and two more shirts without a problem. Then, the issue.

"Mom! I love this outfit. Like, I love it. Love, love, loooove it. I can't believe you picked out this skirt!" (OK, wait, I have to interrupt. She's 7! I'm that lame already? I could rock this outfit. At 37. Well, the skirt would have to be longer. But I could so rock the concept.)

" 'Member you said my boots are too small? Can I get new boots?'

"Sure! We'll go find some now." (Thank you, Lord. Thank you. Awesome Violet is back.)

We can't find what she wants at Payless, so we go to Sears. Her eyes light up and she squeals with delight, jumping up and down.

"These! This is the exact pair I want!"

My heart hit the ground. I heard it. These are not baby boots. They are not sweet little 'awww, wook how cute the wittle boots are' boots. These are boots that I covet.

I stare at the boots. I stare at Violet. Finally I tell her to roll up her jeans and we'll try them on, only because I totally *know* they won't have her size. I am so wrong. She pulls them on and struts around. I start to cry. I chew my lip. I buy the boots.

When I show my sister in law, Kerry, the boots, her eyes go wide and she falls over. Really. They are that out of character for me to have bought for Violet. We go back and forth on whether they are appropriate or not. I can't help but think, if I'm asking, "Are they appropriate?" Then the answer must be, "No." Right?

I finally show them to my husband that night. He laughs so hard he cries. I ask if they are OK. He just shrugs his shoulders and points out that she'll be wearing them with tights or jeans, not hip high skirts to dance in.

But now they sit in my closet. Because I've taken them from her in an effort to curb her behavior this week. Our 'Come to Jesus' moment from Sunday has continued all week. And in my confusion over the boots I chose to use them as my bargaining point.

If you can behave appropriately, you can have the boots. If you can't, I will return them.

Am I secretly hoping I'll get to return the boots?

Kim

*don't be alarmed by the alarming amount of italics I use this post. I seem to love them today.

10 comments:

  1. Diana @Hormonal ImbalancesNovember 11, 2010 at 10:31 PM

    Send them to me immediately. I believe those are my boots.

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  2. No kidding, I have been looking for a pair of new boots for months. Not fair, every time I go shopping I find lots of things for the girls and nothing for me. Humph, I feel your pain...

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  3. Those are so cute. And you know they mean even more to Violet because you're not sure you want her to have them.

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  4. Good Lord, woman, you are so going to have issues when she's 16. I mean, seriously, in my opinion, they aren't bad. And like Art said, she's not going to be dancing in them. In my opinion, you're going to have to pick your fights with Violet - these boots could be worse - think THIGH HIGH!

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  5. "I will return them."

    Yeah. Right. By return them, I'm sure you mean that Violet will see you strutting around in boots that look AWFULLY familiar :-P

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  6. Grace @ Arms Wide OpenNovember 12, 2010 at 8:30 AM

    these boots are precious. since i don't have a daughter, i cannot imagine what it must feel like to shop with a little girl and agonize over the whorish clothes versus the little girl clothes that she hates versus the way too trendy clothes for her own good.

    wow. wishing you luck, momma!!!

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  7. LOL! I love the husband's response. And they are cute and he is SO right.

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  8. In response to KAren's comment, you never know! She might be maturing really fast (mentally!) and then she might end up just waiting for other kids her age to catch up. She might not even have ANY issues with Violet once she's in her teen years...you just never know.

    Kim, what about lengthening the skirt, so that only a small amount of leg skin is showing- only though opaque tights- and a creme turtleneck? There's always a way to execute the look you have in mind while keeping things appropriate. If you're doubting the boots' appropriate factor, make that the only possibly questionable item of clothing she wears. It's like women picking one asset to show off- legs, cleavage, arms, etc. That's how you do things tastefully.

    -Keren

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  9. P.S. You might want to try Forever 21 (http://www.forever21.com/htg81/main.asp). They now have a kids line that Violet might like. Plus, it's super affordable!

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  10. were you this 'bad'? Violet is not bad. She knows what she wants, has her own mind. Treasure that. Were you like that? Yes. And you had friends who's mothers let them wear whatever they wanted. And those friends had older sisters. And I wanted my daughter to value herself for more than what she looked like and wore (remember . . I never got manicures or did girly things because I didn't want you to think that stuff was important.) It was a challenge to keep you happy (and confident) and me happy, but there weren't as many choices 30 years ago, less commercialism, so I think it was easier. You were the perfect daughter, you were so easy to reason with, always understood my point of view. As you still do . . .

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