Friday, January 07, 2011

Glimpse of the Future

I don’t paint my nails. Partially because I cannot be bothered with it, partially a rebellion from my childhood where my nails were always an issue (I bit them--still bite them sometimes) and the argument usually with my mom and my mom’s mom was if I was good and did not bite them, I would get to “do” my nails. So, despite my TomBoy oath, when I was growing up, I did paint my nails and have earrings. As I got older, the colors reflected my teenage tastes and once I got into college—well, we entered into the “I can’t be bothered” phase I am in now.

I will occasionally paint them, but my husband doesn’t actually like painted nails, so I have further reason not to be bothered.

However. My daughter. She has found this ritual FASCINATING. Her daycare provider was painting her nails one day…and a few weeks later, I come to pick her up and my daughters toenails were painted.

Every so often this becomes something that she wants to do. For a while I had set aside a paint brush and water for her to play at painting her nails, my nails…whoever would let her. (Cats said NO)

I thought it was a phase, hadn’t heard about nails in about a month—and then last night. I picked her up from daycare and she was displaying her feet, asking our provider to paint her nails. I wanted to get moving (brother was in the car) and get home, so I said—we can do that at home.

She did not forget that. So, as I enter the house and try to get a few things done (fix garbage can that Kif got into; feed the cats; help steer hungry boy onto fruit before eating a popsicle; steer him into prioritizing his homework; look at the mail). All was done with “nails now?” in the background.

We go up to my room. I only have two nail polishes. Black and glow in the dark. (obviously for Halloween)

I decide on the glow in the dark polish. And we sit on my bed and I paint her nails. And she paints mine. And I smile, because I can see I will be needing to buy some more nail polishes soon in my future…and I don’t mind a bit.


Photobucket

3 comments:

Cajun Cutie said...

Mother daughter bonding moments are precious. Just always remember to keep said nail polish in a very high place ;) over the summer my 4 year old niece wanted her nails painted every day after a friend of mine painted her nails once. The whole week I kept hearing about her NEEDING her nails painted. As a treat for not wetting the bed, she got to pick out nail polish (barbie pink). I got busy and forgot about the nail polish stored on the ironing board. In the middle of the night I awaken to the distinct smell of nail polish. My niece had painted her self "gloves" and "boots".

JJ said...

Oh how sweet--I want some glow in the dark polish! Will W come paint my nails, please :)

Kristin said...

Oh how sweet...and, I'm with JJ. I totally want glow in the dark polish.

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