Little Girl Dress-up Fun

Our home is well stocked with dress-up clothes. My children, however, have been on dress-up hiatus for some time now. I assumed, when I packed them, that the dress up clothes would not be missed between now and the time we move.

I was wrong. The sudden urge to dress up like a princess (or bag lady) came upon my smallest daughter yesterday in a desperate kind of way. And there were no dress up things for her to exercise this adorable, ultra-girly form of creativity.

So I did what I used to do for her big sister, back in the days before we had a great stash of play clothes. I opened up my closet, pulled a few things out, and gave her free reign of my scarves, hats, and jewelry box. (I'd say shoes, too, except that... I packed them.) She took care of her own make-up, and the result was... well, adorable, if not quite "princessy."

Big, flowy blouse-turned-dress with a scarf for a belt; a kerchief-shawl and a crocheted hat...


Complete with dirty old cowboy boots on the wrong feet (I kept out the necessities. She didn't seem to mind the lack of high heels though.)



And lots of "real" jewelry.



All dressed up, she sighed happily and said, "I look like a real Mama now."

Is this really what she thinks I look like every day? Hmm...

Then a change of accessories...



And then it was "I don't feel like a princess now. Or like a Mama. I kind of think I look like... a beggar woman." And then, because in her fairy-tale laden little mind, being a beggar woman is a rather romantic notion, she began dancing around the kitchen in the most beautiful way she knows how.

Proof that fancy dress-up clothes aren't needed at all... and that sometimes Mama's closet is more fun anyway!

This is how I spend my afternoons when all of the stress of the Moving To-Do List gets to be too much for me. :o)