Vanity is thy name

Everyone who has met Baby J has asked if she's taken after her mother and is vain. For the record, I was not a vain girl. In fact, I was the opposite of that. I had to be taught to wear socks that matched and socks that matched my shoes and dress. I climbed trees, ran around barefoot, caught spiders and fought with boys. So, no, I was anything but vain. Vanity was something I discovered much later. I think in my final year of university when all of a sudden, it was make-up, skin care and clothes. Manicures and facials only became something necessary after I got married.

So whether Baby J takes after me? Which me would be the question. But is she vain? I guess the short answer to that is yes. As vain as a two year old can be.

She has learnt to dictate what she wants to wear, to go out, at home, to sleep, on her hair, on her feet. Everything. Of course, her taste often leaves much to be desired but she does insist on her own style. Whether it be pairing a pair of boots with a dress or wearing her brother's shoes and jeans, she does know how to insist.























So, I can't really be shocked that when I went to pick her up today and discovered her face to be covered with face paint and her finger nails painted! They had a party in school today for Boys' Day (also known as Kodomo No Hi) and I suppose one of the things they did during the party was to paint faces, both boys and girls. She must have loved it!

I must admit that while I am particular that both she and Evan are dressed properly and in nice clothes while out, the painted fingernails really threw me off. There was something distinctly unsettling to see such tiny fingernails painted in hot red nail polish. Perhaps it is my mother's voice in my head intoning as she did when I occasionally bugged her about wanting to play with make-up and nail polish that they were meant for adults and little girls were too young to be playing with things like that.























And I bemoan the fact that I have to use nail polish remover to take it off. The fumes! What did amuse me was while trying to capture her 'painted-now-and-not-in-another-15-years' nails was being able to finally photograph them with her fiery red talons curled round a football.

But no, not again. I hope not to see nail polish on her nails for another decade and a half and even then, it won't be a day too soon!

Technorati Tags: twins, girls