As circumstance would have it-my eldest daughter, who is best friend and favourite playmate of my younger daughter, is away this month and therefore could not join us in Florida-rendering me the sloppy second. The entire March Break I found myself in the pool giving her shoulder rides, having handstand competitions, diving for pennies or putting all the deck furniture in the pool to play”Atlantis apartment”. I begged for time out of the pool as Florida was cooler than Toronto-but the break was always punctuated with “how much longer, mommy?” until I would get back in. One acquires instant and lasting admiration for parents of only children.
Walking on the beach together I found the dichotomy of her version of 13 going on 30. She plays like a little girl but turns heads like a woman. A beautiful surfer dude walked by us and we both checked him out. I was invisible and she was not. I was aware of this and she was not. She was subtle and I was not. It is in these moments that I remember my grandmother became a grandmother at my age.
We were clothes shopping later that week when we both inadvertently and unknowingly went into side by side change rooms to try on the same polka dotted bikini. We emerged simultaneously to face each other with a “what do ya think?”. Truly amazing to think two little pieces of fabric could look so differently
I let her have it. Let’s face it – it was what the designer would have wanted.
thank you Idas- the top was a cheapie from a sample sale 8 yrs ago- I will forward you the info on it.-n
Nancy,
Invisible, impossible. I remember though someone telling me youth is wasted on the young, only now do I realize what she meant. Europeans still know how to give recogintion of our experience to qualify us as beautiful too.
You are a vision of stylishness that inspires me when I see you. Today, I was desperate to know where you got that elegant but still cool but so not “trendy” blue top.
In this era of hyper trendy fashion, I feel so out of synch with current moda because frankly at nearly 40, I simply cannot rock the “cowgirl rebel” clothes at Abercrombie or Anthropology. I probably could not have rocked them at 20 either but at least in that era, Canadian retailers didn’t all carry carbon copy clothes like the past few years and I had the option not to look like Madonna in Material Girl.
I think I need a shopping trip to Montreal where there are more fashion options….
need to find a group of smarties to go with me too 😛
Christine-now well into my forties being carded at the liquor store sounds divine!!!! Thanks for reading flying solo-have a great day-nancy
My sisters and I hated each other growing up. One was 7yrs older than me, the other shared a room with me.
We’re as thick as thieves now though.
I was never tall nor developed (aside from when I was pregnant or nursing…) 5’2″ and skinny.
I do think my daughter will get her Daddys height. She just turned 3 and is in a size 5 top and 3 pant. Tall and thin.
I suppose being small fared well for me as I would still get carded at the liquor store up until about a year ago.
Jen-I was like you too-tall and developed early and it scared the wits out of me. My first whistle I thought the guy was joking. Your daughter will be there before you know it.
My sisters were my constant playmates when I was growing up too. I can’t imagine having to vacation without them at that age! I also remember being 12 and 5′ 7″ tall and getting invited by a 17 year old boy on the beach for a date. He had no idea how old I was because I looked like a woman. I was SO flattered but I was still such a little girl on the inside playing Barbies and imaginary games. What a strange time.