Character

Ok, sorry if I offend anyone, but I have never been a fan of clothing with characters. Even for children. Or maybe especially for children. I guess I see an adult wearing a character shirt, it can be funny. But I just don't understand why children need to wear spider-man on their shoes or Yo Gabba Gabba or Handy Manny on a t-shirt. No Elmo here. And even old classics like Mickey Mouse drive me crazy. I dress my kids in clothes I would wear or clothes I would wear if I were a little rollie pollie infant or toddler. My mini-mes.

This has worked for us Old Navy regulars. Until this most recent winter when Riley decided she no longer would wear jeans. Instead she only wanted black, comfortable pants (i.e. think yoga style).

And then SHE entered our life. My daughter does not know Wonder Pets or Handy Manny or Clifford. She only has eyes for one cartoon. Dora. D-O-R-A. The love of Riley's 3 year old life. At Christmas time, Riley asked Santa for Dora pajamas and slippers. Hmmm...could Santa deny my brown-eyed sweetie this special request b/c her mom is hung up on character-wear? Could an exception be made for something that doesn't get worn outside the home? It turns out we were ok with pajamas...I mean it wasn't like light up shoes with Dora's face plastered on the side.

For a long while, this has been totally fine. Riley loves her Dora pjs and although they are getting too small her love for them makes them "almost" cute. And then the Easter Bunny surprised her with a Dora toothbrush and band-aids. Enjoying but not really wearing the paraphenalia.

The slope is getting slippery. Because Dora is everywhere. I thought she was a kind of old news, in syndication and my kid was behind the times falling in love with her. But it seems she is just blowing up. Riley & I ran over to the baby store to buy Reegs a sippy cup and Dora followed us around the store...Dora flatware and cups and placemats and bath STUFF (think tub mats and toy hangers and toys). And then while I'm looking at the baby food searching for the meats, I hear "I want the Dora bed." And there it was, a toddler Dora bed. Too bad Riley sleeps in a big girl bed so we are not backtracking into toddler beds. But I mumbled something about looking for sheets...do they actually make Dora sheets for full size mattresses?

And then we ran to the mall this morning to try on some dress shoes for an upcoming wedding. Wow. I now realize why I do most of my children's shopping by myself. A shoe store is like pure torture for my 3 year old girlie girl. Purses and Jewelry and Dora Socks and Dora tennis shoes and Dora sandals and Dora flip flops. Most of the trip went like this..."No Riley." "Please put that back Riley." "Ugh, Riley." "No you cannot wear those to your Uncle's wedding." "Because they don't match the dress." I would love to tell you I handled myself with patience and grace, but I try not to lie. I was like "DO THESE SHOES FIT OR NOT? HOW HARD IS THIS?" I may have walked out feeling glad I didn't end up buying any Dora shoes...and that no authorities were called b/c I totally lost my cool at one point. We survived. And celebrated with a hot pretzel from Auntie Annes.

Then on our way back to the car, Riley and I stopped to look at some dogs playing in the window at the pet store. She was sweet as could be listening to me when I said we could look, but not touch the glass. I leaned over, gave her a kiss on the cheek and said "I am not perfect. I am sorry I got so frustrated." And she looked at me and seeming to fully understand said "It's ok. I forgive you." I am not the perfect mom and I spend many a days wishing I had more patience or that I didn't snap at Riley or that I didn't WANT to get right in her face and scream "WHY WON'T YOU LISTEN TO ME...OR EVEN JUST STOP WHINING? EITHER would be great for ME." Until I can figure it all out and become the perfect mom I know I am destined to be, I will keep apologizing when I don't treat her the way I want her to treat me and the rest of the world. Hopefully, that's enough. And I am so grateful, she forgives me.