Wednesday, February 16, 2011

The Firefighter-Butterfly Dilemma (Please Read & Vote!)

I know, the title sounds completely weird, but it just describes a surprisingly difficult decision (if not of far-reaching consequences) I have to make soon: There is a carnival party at Lily's Kindergarten in a couple of weeks, and I can't make my mind up as what to dress her up.

Lily is a girl with many interests, and one never knows what she will feel like doing or wearing next. Most of the time, if asked what she wanted to wear, she'll just get some shirt and a pair of jeans. Sometimes, however, she will insist on dressing up in one of her nice dresses and ballet flats even though it's just a lazy weekend at home or dance through the house in her little ballerina suit all day long. She loves trains, fire-engines, lego and dolls; butterflies, bunnies, lions, crocodiles, horses, hippos, and penguins, and many, many more things. Going through the carnival section, I have seen tons of costumes, most of which I just couldn't imagine Lily wearing (I'm sorry, but I consider a toddler in a corsage kind of inappropriate) or are just not right for the season. The two choices I am down to at the moment is buying her a butterfly set or a fire fighter costume.

I know she would be ok with either outfit, but the fire fighter she would LOVE! I'm sure she would also like the butterfly costume, but the fire fighter she would go crazy over. So what is the problem you may ask? The problem is that for quite a while I almost constantly have to deal with the accusations that I try to turn our little girl into a boy just because I let her be herself and don't doll her up constantly. Yes, she is a tomboy at times, but that is not me steering her in a direction, it is she expressing herself. Yes, I am really sick and tired of these accusations, and that is why I hesitate to go with the fire fighter. The easiest solution would be simply to take Lily to the store, but knowing our daughter I have no doubt that we would leave the store with butterfly wings and a fire fighter helmet, and that she will insist of wearing both for the party. Maybe this would actually be the best (and funniest) option, but one that will definitely cause a lot of raised eyebrows.

What are your thoughts about it? Input and a vote would be greatly appreciated!

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