Father and Daughter

Last night was the Father/Daughter Dance. 

Actually, they call it the Sweetheart Dance, because sometimes the father’s not able to be there. 

Bill actually stood in for one of his brothers years ago.  The brother was overseas, involved in Desert Storm, and so Bill, who was about twenty and looked even younger, brought his niece, Lisa, to her Father/Daughter dance.  They made the paper.  We have the clipping somewhere.  Bill doesn’t look all that much older than Lisa, who was probably in late elementary school or middle school at the time.

Anyway, last night was Julia’s second Father/Daughter dance.

We got the dress at Target, though we’d gone first to the local Salvation Army store, just in case there were any little flower girl dresses available.  There was one, but it was a size small.

Anyway, Julia tried on four dresses, and chose the one I’d liked to begin with.  Then it was time to pick out the shoes.  I tried (because it’s my job) to steer her, gently, toward shoes that somehow matched the dress. 

But in the end I just let her pick the ones she wanted.

And they were these:

She loved them instantly because they have those little jaguar heads on them.

Here’s a closer look:

So we got those shoes, and footless tights, and nail polish, and (yes) strawberry flavored lip gloss and some little shimmery eye shadow stuff that I brushed on her eye lids and cheeks for a bit of tasteful sparkle.

So yesterday, after the birthday party she went to, I did Julia’s nails, and her hair and “makeup.”

I’m so not good at being a mom to a girly girl.  And Julia’s not 100% girly-girl, so that gives me a break.  (Yesterday she was having light saber fights with her brother and a couple of his friends in the back yard.)  But then an event like the dance comes along, and I have lovely ideas for her hair…but I am never equipped with the proper tools and products.

I just don’t HAVE that stuff lying around.  And I’m not about to buy a ton of hair stuff just for one or two nights. 

But we made do.  And she looked lovely.

We decided not to bother with the official pictures at the dance – the line is always long and who wants to stand in a line anyway?  So I just snapped a few shots before Bill and Julia left the house.

None of Julia’s coats or jackets were right (and, of course, I didn’t think of this part until the last second), so – what to wear?  Then I remembered – a jacket my sister had given me a while back – a hand-me-down from her kids….

It was perfect, except that Julia was sick of me taking pictures.  So, this is what I’ve got:

I think it suits her.

Anyway, Bill and Julia were off to the ball, and Alex and I want out to dinner. 

And we were all back at the house by 8:15.

It had been a long, busy day, and we were all just ready to be home, in comfy clothes.

But Julia had fun at her dance.

My little sometimes girly-girl.

Comments

[Lynne]

not so little anymore is she :))

[Jayne]

Nope, shes not. :( It goes so fast! But shes still little enough.

[judith]

OMG, she reminds me of my daughter so much at times like these. Pick up some of those sponge rollers at the beauty supply. They are cheap and low maintenance. Just spritz a little water on her hair after it's up in a high ponytail, roll several strands of hair up. After it's dry just take it down and hair spray it and it's done!

[tracey]

So sweet. She looks lovely and Bill looks handsome.