Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Butterflies and Rainbows. Or not.

While watching the Oscars {or was it the Grammys?!} a few weeks ago, I saw a tweet that stated Adele and Taylor Swift are basically the same age. 

Yes, go ahead and let that sink in a bit. 

Taylor Swift and Adele.  

The same age. 

How can that be when one seems perpetually stuck in boy-crazy middle school and the other has the composure and grace of a much older and more mature woman. No offense to Taylor. She is absolutely darling -- just in a young-girl-head-in-the-clouds sort of way. Adele, on the other hand, is gorgeous and a mother and seemingly much more mature {in my humble opinion}. 

When I shared this fact with Little Miss Thang {who adores both artists} she was equally aghast. She quickly recovered, though, and offered this explanation: I suppose Taylor Swift has had a much easier life and Adele's has been harder, because Taylor is more a rainbows and butterfly girl and Adele is  tougher or edgier. 

An astute observation. I have no idea how accurate this may or may not be, but she makes a valid point that your experiences and upbringing ultimately form, or at least have bearing upon, the person you become. 

As Little Miss Thang reaches her 1st decade birthday this week -- double digits and her golden birthday as she says -- I began to reflect on the past decade as a mother of this mighty might.

Nine years of birthday celebrations!

While we are now firmly betwixt child and teen,  I can already see she is quite clearly becoming a young lady I admire -- equal parts sweet and sass. Or in other words, a little bit butterflies and rainbows, but undoubtedly, with an edge all her own.

She is annoyed by her boy-crazy friends and still insists she is not getting married

She has impeccable manners and uses them quite sparingly. 

She absolutely loves all animals and hates anything pink. 

She enjoys the company of many friends but will not declare a bestie. 

She still loves spending time with her mommy but dashes out the door as soon as a friend calls texts. 

She plays with dolls but has given away her Barbies. 

She inhales 200+ page books in a single day, but she refuses to give away her Rainbow Magic fairy series. 

She only cries during movies and books when an animal dies {never when a human, usually the mom, dies!}. 

She would skydive tomorrow if we let her but is deathly afraid of bugs. 

Just enough butterflies and rainbows to want a dress-up party for her 10th birthday. But a dress-up party with an edge -- red carpet themed complete with an actual red carpet and paparazzi. 

10th Birthday Red Carpet Celebration
And so it seems Little Miss Thang mastered this balance with no concerted effort on my part. 

In fact, I posit she was born this way. 

Amazing how we plan to actively raise our children only to later realize we are really just along for the ride, or perchance, to learn a few things ourselves.

Please remind me of this again in another few years when I am fully enmeshed in the teen years! 

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