Motherhood changes you in profound ways. That’s probably not news to anyone. Still, one of the ways motherhood has changed me has been very unexpected.
I used to abhor the color pink. It wasn’t just that pink wasn’t my favorite color. I would do anything to avoid it. I simply couldn’t imagine ever wearing it and certainly not dressing my children in it. And then I had a daughter.
Now it is possible to dress a little girl in colors other than pink. But to design an entire wardrobe so as to avoid that color would take a considerable effort and much greater financial resources than I had. I certainly found many cute outfits in every other color. Yet the bulk of Bella’s wardrobe was either given to us as shower gifts or as hand-me-downs from her very girl cousin. And so I reluctantly found myself dressing her in pink.
And then one day, not very long after she was born, I realized she looked good in pink. Very, very good. It brought out the roses in her cheeks, made her eyes sparkle more brightly.
So now Bella is my pink girl. She has many many clothes, but she looks so very pretty in pink. Yesterday morning I dressed her in a pale pink shirt with a darker pink floral design, a deep rose jumper with an even darker floral print, pink socks, a pink jacket, a pink hat and pink barrettes. She was a vision of cuteness. And today I folded a basket full of pink, put her into a fuschia jumper over a pink top with pale pink tights.
I’ve finally realized: I like pink. Three years ago I couldn’t have imagined buying storage bins with a pink floral pattern; but I did precisely that when Sophia was born and I needed more storage. I even chose a pink fleece for the backing for Sophie’s quilt.
Yes, motherhood changes you, makes you grow in unexpected ways. I still don’t have any pink in my wardrobe, though. One has to draw the line somewhere.
And then you’ll get your revenge, because I’ll be sitting here swooning over YOUR pictures.
And seriously? The virtual quilting bee concept has utterly enchanted me. I keep asking myself what the likelihood is that I could manage one quilt square a month, even after baby comes…surely I could pull that off, right? With all these big girls to hold the baby for a spell?
You, me, Jenn McGonigle…I’m sure we could rustle up another nine victims, er, participants!
And we wouldn’t have to start until after you were settled in…
Ah if I can manage that revenge it will be sweet indeed.
Seriously, if you get together enough people for a virtual quilting bee I am so totally in.
Of course I’ve still to finish the quilt I began making for Sophia before she was born. Poor thing is now 7 months old and I haven’t done a stitch since I got stuck on choosing a binding color.
I don’t yet have any of those big girls to hold the baby. But my sister is coming to live with us for some time. She’s going to teach me how to knit and crochet. And maybe even hold the baby while I do a bit of sewing.