My Girl

I have a confession to make.

Back when we first found out we were expecting a little one, both Dan and I were nearly certain the baby would be a boy. We discussed boy names way more often than girl names. Dan thought about what toy tractors in his collection he could pass down to his son. I resigned myself to spending years dealing with black eyes, muddy boots, and wrestling matches in the living room.

Ultrasound day came and gave us a shock. We certainly weren't disappointed, just surprised and our expectations shifted slightly. We bought pink things. Lots and lots of pink things.

It was also around this time when friends, family, co-workers, and random strangers offered us their opinions on boys versus girls. All offered congratulations, and most followed with a warning. Girls are waaaaay tougher than boys, My son is much easier to deal with than my daughter, The mood swings start early - be ready, My daughter can be so difficult, etc, etc. My own mother offered a different sort of advice, saying she didn't necessarily think it was a boy thing or a girl thing, just a kid thing, and every kid is different. My Grandma Carol offered encouragement, telling me how fun it was to have a little girl and how much I would absolutely love it.

I am happy to report that like usual, Grandma was right. Having a girl is so fun. I love the pigtails and the frilly dresses. I love how she took an interest in my recently pedicured blue toenails and how she was so excited when I painted hers.


I love how we do ballet in the kitchen and how she colors at the table. I love how she combs her hair and says pwetty pwetty. I love how she tries to twirl in her Sunday dress. I love how she loves being a girl.

I also love how she enjoys digging in the dirt and getting filthy dirty. I love how she chases the dog and cat. I love how she points out deer in the back pasture and how she makes pheasant sounds when she sees one.

We didn't get what we expected, but oh-so-much more.

All of this isn't to say that one day I wouldn't enjoy experiencing the wonder that must certainly come with raising a little boy, but for now, I am so, so happy I have my girl.

And lest you think our rough-and-tumble needs aren't being met, I assure you, they are. Lana's purple boots get quite muddy, she laughs and laughs when we wrestle in the living room, and currently she's sporting her first black eye.