Me Do It!

Independent is actually not a strong enough word to describe my daughter.
She is very committed to putting on her own clothes and this particular day, she could not figure out how to put on the shirt, but would not, under any circumstances, allow me to help her. Finally, she put her legs through the head-opening and pulled it up to her chest. Then she managed to get one arm into a sleeve....and then I snapped this picture because I just couldn't resist!

(and then I helped her the rest of the way....)

I want to raise a strong and independent daughter. I want to make sure that she knows her way in the world and holds her head up high and can handle whatever life throws at her.

But the journey....oy vey.

See more (much greater) photos here....Happy Monday!

Help a Girl, Help the World...

And that's my Tuesday Torah for this week.
What's your Torah? (leave your link in the comments)

**DEADLINE EXTENDED***Princess Not in Need of Saving...Giveaway & BSM

**This giveaway is now closed. Check out my blog and come back in March for my Purim Party with another giveaway!** Winner announced shortly...

**UPDATE: Deadline extended to Friday, February 1 @ 8:00am**

As many of you know, my third child (after 2 boys) is a girl. As soon as she was born, pink stuff started to descend upon my house in glittery waves. Pink shirts, pink pants, pink shoes, pink socks -- pink, pink, pink. And along with it, things that said "Princess" all over them.

See more Best Shots here...

My feminist self reared up in annoyance. I looked over my own closet. There is only one pink shirt in there (and it's shoved to the back because I hardly ever wear it). Why did everyone feel a need to paint my baby girl pink? (in truth, her gorgeous blue eyes make BLUE her best color!) I'm worried enough about raising a strong, self-confident young woman... all this pink just seems to make me more stressed out, let me tell you. What exactly does "princess" entail? Not to mention that whole Jewish princess stereotype problem....

So I've thought about it. Because she sure is cute and let me tell you, some of those pink outfits are truly adorable. Here's my decision: I think that my daughter can wear adorable clothes and hair clips as long as I also give her strong lessons in girl power.

Which is why I'm so excited for this giveaway, which I feel blends adorable girl-stuff with a strong female role model!

What will you win?

Any 2 items of your choice from Oopsie Dazie...check out their adorable hairclips, headbands, bows, and headwraps. Aren't they cute? and affordable, too.

AND

one copy of The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch - my favorite princess story in which the princess stereotype is turned upside down! (And by the way it's my 2-y.o. BOY's current favorite. He likes the dragon.)
(shipped separately)

Rules and other Information -- How can you win?

1. Make a comment here. How do you instill confidence and strength in girls? This is your entry! U.S. shipping only, sorry Robin & other international folks.

2. For an extra entry, post on your blog or tell a friend about this giveaway and Oopsie Dazie and link back to me.

3. Don't forget to give me a way to get in touch with you if you win!

4. This giveaway ends on Thursday, January 31st at 9pm Central Time. Winner will be announced Friday morning!
**UPDATE: Deadline extended to Friday, February 1 @ 8:00am** Winner announced shortly afterwards.

See more Bloggy Giveaways here...

P.S. Like what you see? Subscribe to my blog's feed....

This is what I'm scared of...

I admit it. I'm terrified of being the mom of a girl. There, I've said it. It's scary enough to be the mom of boys, but I really do believe that it's going to be harder for me with the girl. How can I make sure that she grows up self-confident, independent, and filled with comfort with her body and her being? It does seem like this is going to be a difficult task for me with all the noise of society around us telling her, perhaps, that she is too fat or too thin, too short or too tall, too curly or too straight...oh how I hope not.

Read this beautiful essay from the San Francisco Chronicle to read one mom's struggle with her 5-year-old's first question about her weight.

(This is not to imply that I don't want to raise self-confident, independent, and body-happy young men as well. I just feel that by and large this will be a little easier. I do know, however, how scary it is out there for boys as well as girls. Eating disorder statistics for young men are on the rise as boys are also being pressured by the same media barrage that the young women are. Either way, my most important job is rearing my brood...and damn if it doesn't scare the pants off of me.)