"Beeahful" Beya

I know that I posted a bit about this on facebook a little while back but I wanted to include it here, you know for better record-keeping purposes. Plus, I am continually amazed by Beya's penchant for anything girly. I have heard a rumor that I was just like this at Beya's age but it is hard to imagine considering that I do try to look decent on most days but have no problem carousing a store in sweatpants and a sweatshirt. In a church where most of the ladies are decked out in dresses and skirts, I get excited at the opportunity to wear a nice pair of slacks when the weather is as it has been lately. I do love dresses in the summer though. I would wear them every day if I could but not for their girlish aspects. It is for the comfort. Flip-flops and a knit dress are my ideal articles of attire. While platform shoes look really cute, (I do own some as proven by Miss Beya who is modeling them to the right), they are horribly hard on the feet and after wearing them for several hours my legs and feet are tired. It's rather rediculous if you ask me. Oh the things we women do for vanity.

Well Beya is just enthralled by girlishness as I suspect most girls are. She frequents in at least 3 different dresses/skirts throughout the day. Lately she has become especially obsessed with my closet.  Here is her favorite section.

To the left of the picture are my collection of skirts. She has already pulled off several today. You can see them strewn about the floor. She usually comes to me with one pulled up around her chest "Pinnit up momma!" Then once I am done, "Woooook, peetty dress!" Then she swings her hips back and forth to admire the effect.

She likes my jewelry too. I had forgotten I even had jewelry but she found it wherever it was and brought it out for me to put on her.

Once she found my makeup; yes I actually do own the stuff even though I only wear it maybe twice a year. I put it on her and she really liked that. I have mixed feelings about makeup though. On the one hand I realize that what I did was rather innocent and it was fun for her but on the other hand I fear making that a habit simply because I don't want her to associate beauty with makeup in such a way that she feels that she has to have it. I realize makeup can accentuate one's features but it advertises that it will make you more beautiful but I want to know by who's standards that is, certainly not Heavenly Father's who created us in his own image. What better image could we be created in?  I love Beya's beautiful face. It is so pleasing to look at. Makeup is distracting. I think it is the same for adults as well. Furthermore, women who wear a lot of makeup (foundation specifically) ruin their skin by smothering it all day long. One time at a wedding my makeup was done professionally and they slathered that foundation on. Brad took one look at me and said he really hated the "foundation look". It made me look like someone else. Plus, foundation is one of those things that I think only looks good in pictures. If you get up close it looks like you have flesh colored mud on your face. I didn't mean to go all off about makeup but I was reminded when I mentioned Beya wearing it how much I dislike the stuff. I am thinking about going all Claire Huckstable on her and not letting her wear any til she's 18 or something.

Well I think Beya is just "beeahful" (as she puts it) and I try to tell her often so that when she grows up she believes it. I remember both of my parents telling me I was beautiful. I remember specifially sitting down for dinner once, I don't remember how old I was, somewhere between 12-14 I imagine, and my Dad looks at me in all seriousness and says "You are so beautiful Rachel". I know I hadn't done anything special to myself which is what makes that memory all the more special to me. And so I have always believed that I am beautiful. I want Beya to always believe that she is too.