Dressed is not always better

What about this?

When my youngest was a baby she was obsessed with removing her socks. Actually, she still is. It was cute. It’s something babies do. As my daughter got older, she started to exert more Independence. She has to turn off the light in the coat room, even if she didn’t get a coat out of there. She needs to read the story we just finished, all on her own. She needs to pick-out her own clothes and dress herself.

Exerting her independence is a great and necessary step in her growth. And at first I was thrilled. Visions of sleeping-in while all 3 of my well-behaved kids, quickly and quietly got dressed on their own.

[smash] the sound of my dreams being shattered.

My youngest daughter is obsessed with dressing herself. I know, you’re thinking, what’s the big deal? I should be pleased. I am. When my youngest daughter gets dressed in the morning, I beam with pride, every morning. I’m always impressed with her new abilities.

...or this?

But when she’s on her third or fourth clothing change, in just the morning, my enthusiasm starts to wain. My youngest daughter enjoys dressing and undressing almost as much as she enjoys playing with her Lego. It doesn’t matter what she wears.  Some days we go to the grocery store with my youngest daughter dressed in PJs. Not the pair she wore at night. Oh no, she had to take those off and put on a fresh pair from the drawer.

And even the multiple clothes changes wouldn’t be so bad if she could put her things away. Instead it’s like a game. She reaches into the drawer without looking and walla, a new outfit. Off come the current PJs and on goes the new ones. Sometimes this happens in her room. Sometimes it’s in the hall, in the living room, in the kitchen. Picking up the occasional sock wasn’t a big deal, but picking up pants and shirts and sweaters scattered throughout the house is a lot of work.  I’m starting to miss the cute sock-less stage.