Its funny, but in the couple of weeks before Lilly turned four, a few strange things happened to our little tomboy.
1. She decided that pink was now her favourite colour, not red
2. She developed an obsession with Hello Kitty
3. She made the dramatic announcement that: “I like Princesses now” when she saw a Disney book about Cinderella
Just to get this clear – this is a girl who has always actively disliked dolls and whose favourite ever toys have been Thomas the Tank Engine and Roary the Racing Car. She has never watched Disney film – except some bits of Alice in Wonderland and Happy Feet – and she has never been into dressing up as a princess or generally interested in things just because they are pink.
But, on her 4th birthday, among her favourite presents were a box of My Little Ponies that I rather optimistically bought her, not knowing if she would like them but hoping she would one day, as they used to be my favourite thing when I was little. She loves them! And she has even seemed a little bit interested in brushing their hair and letting them admire themselves in the mirror!
All day on her birthday she insisted on being a princess, and wearing a tiara, even while bombing down the tunnel slide at the soft play.
And the Hello Kitty thing - I have no idea where this has come from! But it seems to be a total girlie fest and she likes dressing her Hello Kitty in different outfits from her extensive wardrobe.
So, has our little tomboy become a girlie girl? I suppose it is too early to say. Watch this space!
As a mum to two boys I have no idea what it must be like to have girls – girly girls or tomboys.
But I do know kids are unpredictable creatures. One day my boys are playing dinosaurs, pretending to be swashbuckling knights and wrestling on the floor. The next they’re clomping around the living room in my heels, wanting to help me hoover the living room, and asking if I’ll paint their toenails!
I don’t read anything into this, other than they’re experimenting with who they are and what they like (and unlike my husband, I don’t assume that wearing my shoes means a lifelong devotion to Elton John and a civil partnership!)
How many of us can say we’re exactly the same as we were at four.
For a start, I hated boys at that age. Thought they were smelly and disgusting. Obviously now I’m a mum-of-two I’ve change a little
Sure your girl will continue to surprise you.