Oh boy, oh boy

My daughter is ready for a gender re-assignment. "I wish I was a boy, boys have it easy." She wants to dress like a boy, have hair like a boy, go without a shirt like a boy. All this comes after I bought her all skirts for the summer. Last summer that is all she wanted to wear because they were comfortable--you know the knit skirts with the shorts underneath. Now I'm fighting her to wear them. Today she put on a polo shirt, tucked it into her capris, and had socks and tennis shoes on. I had to stifle a giggle (okay, full out laugh at her--how nice am I) when I saw her. "What?" she says. "I want to look like a boy." Okay honey, but you make such a cute little girl. I'll be the first to admit that I don't do "girly girl"--there are hardly any bows or ribbons in my house, but what girl clothes they do wear are still cute and not-so-much boyish.

To her defense, I remember going through this phase in life. My dad had all girls, so I was sure he really wanted a boy. I tried to come close--I had (and still have) short hair, and remember a time or two running around outside without a shirt on as well (like boys do, you know). I tried to be the "athletic" one and while I did play more sports than either of my sisters, I still sucked at them. EE has more athletic ability at 5 than I ever had--I'm hoping that continues. Alas, I am very much a girl and have only girls myself.

I'm trying to appease EE a little bit. I bought her "boy cut" underwear and she is loving them--enough to dig a pair out of the dirty laundry because all of them had been worn. I bought her the "boxer-style" night pull-ups and she is wearing those to bed and taking her shirt off when she sleeps so she can be "just like Dad." I try not to laugh everyday when she comes out dressing like what she thinks a boy looks like. Hopefully I don't catch her standing up in the bathroom "just like a boy" someday. There are some things that girls can't do.