Buzzfeed has a current article with pictures of 50 kids “cooler than you’ll ever be.”

I beg to differ, although some of them certainly are.  Here are the highlights.  Although it must be said there is a distinct lack of girls on the original list.

My daughter is a bit young for these yet, as she will pull any barette out of her hair when given the opportunity.  But, I cannot wait until she is a little bit older so that I can put some of these in her hair.  They have so many different kinds of bows, and I adore almost all of them.   And I’m not really what I would call a person given to dress my child up as a “girly girl.”  I just think they are well done and so very creative.   There are a ton, including holiday themed ones, so check them all out!

They are a bit pricey though, so maybe Grandma can find it in her heart to get some for a future birthday.

Ice Cream Cone

Pirate Girl

Caterpillar

Little Red Riding Hood

Monkey Face

Ballerina Slippers

Crab

I’ve personally watched the Jedi Training Academy many times at Disneyland, but I’ve never seen this happen before…

I don’t like tutus.

There, I said it.

I’m waiting for an entire contingent of well-heeled moms to come after me.

I don’t know about your area, but in my neck of the woods, tutu-mania is in full force.

The thing is, I don’t know why.

If you are enrolled in a ballet class, then sure, wear a tutu.  But am I wrong in thinking that even in ballet classes, they don’t really wear tutus until they actually perform in front of an audience? Right? I’ve actually never taken a ballet class, so maybe someone can enlighten me there.  With the current tutu craze, that could be changing, though.  Instead of being the provenance of dancers, they are now being co-opted by the toddler and even the not-yet-even-walking set.  All around me there are young girls in tutus, and they are miles away from being in any ballet-related activities. I see them at the doctor’s office, the grocery store, waiting to pick up their siblings at school, and all other manner of places where the last thing one would think of putting on was a frilly skirt with tights.

I have so far firmly resisted buying my daughter a tutu.

She isn’t in a dance class, so I see absolutely no need for one. 

However, I seem to be in the minority as tutus are becoming regular day attire instead of something you had to work hard to earn the right to wear.  Tutus are so hyper-feminine, and while I have no issue with femininity or looking feminine, for some reason they make me a little uncomfortable.  I suppose I think a tutu should be something worn for dress-up, and not out on errands.  And yes, I am one of those stick-in-the-mud moms who think that dress-up stays at home. 

My sister has threatened to buy my daughter one, as she thinks the Munchkinette would get a kick out of twirling around in it.

Call me an anti-tutu-ite, but I’m hoping the current tutu phase will blow over by the time my daughter can ask me for one.

A super-hero cape, though? I’m all for it.

I was browsing the internets a while ago, and came across a clothing company called Dollie & Me.  They make matching outfits for a girl and her doll.

When I was a young tot, I do not remember even remotely wanting my doll to look like me.  My doll was my doll, something to prop up on a chair, pour pretend tea with, and then possibly throw around on the lawn and drag around in a wagon.  I guess you could say it took a while for my maternal instincts to kick in.

I don’t know what it is about buying dolls so that they look just like their owners.  I think that it is totally appropriate to make dolls that reflect all races, but since when do eyes and hair color and outfit have to match?  I happen to think it zaps the imagination right out of the whole “pretend” thing. 

Maybe I’m just easily annoyed lately, but you won’t find me purchasing any matching outfits for my daughter and her doll.  I refuse to ever buy matching outfits for her and myself, so why would I spend good money for her and her doll?

I did just fine appropriating things I found around the house into my doll’s wardrobe, and my daughter will have to do the same.  In a pinch, you’d be amazed at what you can do with a doily.

I solemnly swear I will never do these things to my infant daughter:

-Apply nail polish to her fingers or toes.

-Put her in a bikini.

-Enter her in a beauty pageant.

-Force her to wear shirts/onesies featuring bands she has never heard of.

-Dress her as a mini-me in matching outfits.

-Take her to a spa.

-Use flashcards to drill her in phonics, or math, or anything else.

-Make her wear dresses all the time. Or tutus.  What is it with the tutus?

-Get a “glamour” photo done.

I’ve seen way too many parents do these, and I’m not willing to subject her to such things for what basically amounts to parental gratification.   I’m not saying none of these will happen when she’s older, but it’s going to be YEARS.  Calculate how many you think it might be, and then add two more, minimum.

Although, is it wrong that since her brother is dressing up as Harry Potter for Halloween, that I desperately want her to be Hedwig? But damn if there are no cute owl costumes in her size range. Foiled!

I was shopping with a friend, and we moseyed into a children’s clothing store as our sons are the same age and we are always on the lookout for bargains. Now, though, I look at the girls’ clothes as well as the boys. My friend only has her one son.

I picked up a skirt, and even though it was for a younger child, it seemed to have a certain lack of fabric. My friend noticed it too.

She pointed at the skirt and said, “And that is why I am so glad I don’t have a daughter.”

Funny, two years ago I would have totally agreed with her. I was always sighing with relief when seeing commercials for “Girls Gone Wild” and “Secret Life of the American Teenager” and a bazillion other things that seemed to me as a woman without a daughter things to be thankful I didn’t have to worry about.

Except, now, I do.

Or do I?

Should I really lay awake nights wondering if my teenaged daughter is going to go around flashing her chest at everyone?  Or that she will become pregnant at an early age?  Or even that she will be bullied by the “mean girls,” or have body image issues?

She’s only ten months, but these and other thoughts occasionally run through my mind.  Am I being a bit premature?

Of course I am.

But I have a feeling it’s going to be a loooong eighteen years.

It seems as if I have a readership after my own heart, as fifty six percent of you ixnayed the idea that camping was fun.  I knew I liked you for a reason! As for the thirty seven percent that love camping, I still love you, even though I’m thinking we’ll never go vacationing together.

Today’s poll comes to you courtesy of my shower this morning.  As it is going to be some godforsaken high temperature today, I shaved my legs completely, after only sort of half-assing it for a while now.  Here’s my question: