she doesn't need me anymore...

Every morning when I help Ruby out of the shower, and as I wrap her in a nice warm towel, she invariably announces "I wanna get ready". So off to her room we go. Every day it's the same thing, she opens the closet door and picks out a pair of panties (I keep them in a basket on a low shelf so that she can choose whichever pair she happens to be in the mood for), while I choose her outfit for the day. She's usually really happy about what I've chosen, and if not, I can almost always think of something to say to persuade her thinking. This morning, after I pulled her outfit out of the drawer and laid it on the bed, I left to get Asher dressed and ready for the day. A few minutes went by, when Ruby appeared in the doorway, "tuh luh!" she beamed, her body was posed and her arms were frozen above her head as if to say "look at me, aren't I the prettiest thing you've ever laid eyes on?" Her face was beaming and her smile was radiant. I started to say "no sweetheart, mom already picked out an outfit for...", until I realized the meticulous thought that she had put into dressing herself. It wasn't until I began noticing all the details, that I decided it really wasn't worth the fight. She was wearing a sundress from last summer, which consequently hit mid-thigh. She had on a plastic pair of high heels, which she undoubtedly pulled from her dress up box, along with a plastic flower bracelet and a necklace with a little dangly shoe pendant. Her hot pink satin purse was hanging from her shoulder. "Look mommy, I pick out dis nuckwace with a little shoe on it!" It was too cute, I didn't have the heart to say no. The only thing I insisted upon, however, was that she put a sweater on...(because even though the days are nice, it's still not sundress weather.) She agreed, and off we went to run our errands. She was pretty proud for being able to get ready all on her own, and also because I actually allowed her to leave the house wearing something she had chosen. It didn't take long, however, for this new found self-confidence to turn to presumption. Before I realized it, she was walking all over me.

"No Mommy! I want to lock the doors!"

"No! I not want to go in da stroller! I walk myself!"

"No! I do it!"

"I hold the diet coke, myself!"

"No! I open the door!"



I mean, does she even need me anymore? If It wasn't for me finally putting my foot down, she would have driven us home, too...and believe me, she actually asked if she could.