A Cowgirl in Our Midst
A few weeks ago during Carly's preschool pickup time, I read a sign outside of her classroom door that said something like, "Next week, you may send your child to school dressed as a cowboy or cowgirl since we're having Texas week."
They have a new teaching theme each week, and this was the particular theme for the upcoming week.
I had been wanting to buy Carly a pair of boots for a long time, so this was the perfect excuse.
We headed out one evening to a local store and happened upon MANY, MANY pairs of boots--and this was only the children's section. J and I scanned the shelves to find some not-so-ostentatious styles while Carly was happily distracted by the plush stick ponies and the rocking horse. She had already shed her street shoes and donned a pink cowgirl hat; she was all business and ready to sign up as an official Cowgirl.
After a brief time of trying on some boots, we made our selection. (I made a mental note at the register to ask Carly to wear her boots every day for the next 4 months--sometimes, I forget that children's feet are still growing so a shoe purchase is a temporary thing!) We wrangled the cowgirl from the store, vowing to return to visit the stick ponies someday soon. She left the store wearing her new boots and new hat.
Later that night, as she was getting ready for bed, she lovingly placed her boots on the floor by her bed and her hat on the dresser. I knew she would go to sleep thinking about them and wake up talking about them.
As I kissed her good night, I said, "Good night, my little princess."
And her small yet sure voice called out in the dark, "I'm not a princess, Mommy! I'm a cowgirl!"
(Not too much later, J came to me and said, "Go look at Carly in her bed." She was sitting up in bed, with the hat perched on her head and the boots back on her feet. She didn't even have to say anything--I knew what she was thinking. "Just a few more minutes of wearing them. . please?")
They have a new teaching theme each week, and this was the particular theme for the upcoming week.
I had been wanting to buy Carly a pair of boots for a long time, so this was the perfect excuse.
We headed out one evening to a local store and happened upon MANY, MANY pairs of boots--and this was only the children's section. J and I scanned the shelves to find some not-so-ostentatious styles while Carly was happily distracted by the plush stick ponies and the rocking horse. She had already shed her street shoes and donned a pink cowgirl hat; she was all business and ready to sign up as an official Cowgirl.
After a brief time of trying on some boots, we made our selection. (I made a mental note at the register to ask Carly to wear her boots every day for the next 4 months--sometimes, I forget that children's feet are still growing so a shoe purchase is a temporary thing!) We wrangled the cowgirl from the store, vowing to return to visit the stick ponies someday soon. She left the store wearing her new boots and new hat.
Later that night, as she was getting ready for bed, she lovingly placed her boots on the floor by her bed and her hat on the dresser. I knew she would go to sleep thinking about them and wake up talking about them.
As I kissed her good night, I said, "Good night, my little princess."
And her small yet sure voice called out in the dark, "I'm not a princess, Mommy! I'm a cowgirl!"
(Not too much later, J came to me and said, "Go look at Carly in her bed." She was sitting up in bed, with the hat perched on her head and the boots back on her feet. She didn't even have to say anything--I knew what she was thinking. "Just a few more minutes of wearing them. . please?")
Comments
Do you know that The Girl bought a pair of boots in Texas just like that before we left. The store we went to had only one pink pair that were way to big, but she had her heart set on them and I had already promised. She wears them to this day. I know they must be getting ready to be too small, but she loves them!
Once I Texas girl, always a Texas girl!
It reminds me of Julia asleep with her backpack on, or her crown on and yes, her pink cowboy boots on!!