Meet Brownie. Brownie is Brandt’s much adored animal that I purchased on a whim. He (Brandt) was having a bad night. Elena was gone. He wanted to be with her, but he was stuck shopping with mom (me) and it threw him over the edge. In a moment of weakness, I tried to make things right and let him pick out an animal at the Hallmark store. It was a good investment. His tears dried up, and he spent the rest of the evening hugging this guy. And chewing its nose. And dragging it around on the grubby Goodwill floor.
Of course things are never that easy, and when Elena finally got to meet Brownie, she was less than pleased. Because it is just not fair! That Brandt got a stuffed animal! And she did not!
Since I am never short on “mom-guilt” I tried remedy the situation. I gave her an incentive. Sleep in her own bed for five nights in a row… and I will buy her a stuffed animal to sleep with. Like a trouper she attacked the incentive, she never missed a night, and five days later she was begging to go to the store for her own stuffed animal.
Well, in the meantime Madelyn had been born, and I, being one day postpartum, sent my mom with Elena to Target to buy a stuffed animal.
I prepared myself for an animal that I probably wouldn’t like. Because naturally Elena would pick something that I wouldn’t care for. Can you guess what it was? Here’s a hint: It is white. With pink curly hair. With lots of bling. And her own pointe shoes. And a patch on her hind quarter that shouts: GROOVY GIRLS!
Elena had spoken and chose her very own ballerina-horse. I don’t want to be remiss, and not mention that it also whinnies when you press her belly.
Meet Lindia (lin-dee-uh) Yes, Elena is also in a class of her own when it comes to names.
This horse has brought me so much joy. I look at it and laugh. I was never into girly-girl colors, I never played with dolls, and I hated carrying babies around. And now I have a girly-girl daughter whose color of choice is always pink, her toy of choice is dolls, she would spend hours holding Madelyn if I would let her.
I am loving watching her being girly-girl.
Andrea Esh 
That’s too funny! I have kind of the same thing going on with my daughter. I hardly played with dolls, was more of a tom-boy, not a girly-girl and now Nicole LOVES all things girly. Guess it goes to show that its still in the God given gender, even if they don’t get the girly-girl thing from their Mom.
i think the funniest thing is the fancy name!! LINDEEYA– indeed. 🙂 hey– have you ever gotten the “fancy nancy” books from the library- very fun and girly girl. she would LOVe them- for the pictures especially. 🙂
that’s great. you always have great stories to tell about your kids. keep them coming. 🙂
Haha, isn’t that the type of stuffed animal that we try to avoid at all costs and then Grandma goes and buys it? 🙂 Love the name!
I’ve popped in on your site every once in a while and thought I should say hi so you don’t think I’m a stalker. 🙂 I’m Clarita Barkman Yoder, used to live in Lancaster, and when I was a little teenager, I used to help your MIL serve meals to bus groups. That’s a little of my history. 🙂 But I always enjoy reading your blogs and hearing your real-life stories. Thanks for the encouragement and for being real! Blessings on your day!
isn’t it funny how God does that to us. girly-girls bring out good things in us, don’t they?
Totally adorable.
@lifeisadance – Hey Clarita, I’ve stalked your site too! I never check my footprints, so I would never have known. BTW, the story of your little girl being born was the best, and totally freaked me out because I was due in the next couple of months, anyway I’m sure it’s good we don’t know these things ahead of time. Thanks for the intro.:)
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