Pink Lipstick and Diamonds.

After a sick visit to the doctor the other day, Ella and I stopped at Walmart (my least favorite store in the world) for some groceries. I was on a quick mission for big essentials, and it was the easiest store at the time. My kids, especially my Ella, aren't so fond of the place either, so I told her if she was agreeable I'd buy her a treat. After a whirlwind spin through the store, I asked her what it was that she wanted to get. Without missing a beat, her answer was, "lipstick." This is no big surprise.

At the checkout, Ella handed the cashier a tube of the brightest pink Tammy Fae Baker lipstick you have ever seen. The lady looked at her, then me, and I felt obligated to make an excuse: "It's a bribe for not whining around the store. She's very excited." The woman's face softened, and she said, "Oh! This is her first makeup." I then explained, that no, in fact, it's not. And then the woman's face hardened again, so I gave her a look that said, "Hey, don't judge me. Mind your business and put my stuff in the bag."

My kid has been getting makeup since she was about 2 1/2 when my friend, Ashley, thought that bright blue and green eyeshadow and nail polish would be a great gift for Christmas. And since then, she's enjoyed playing with the colors and painting her face up like a circus clown. A very cute blue-eyed circus clown. Of course, my Ella is NOT allowed to wear that stuff out in public. She only plays with it at home. So, don't any of you judge me, either.

I saw a similar madness unleashed this weekend when I changed out her earrings for the first time since she's gotten them pierced. My mom had given Ella some sweet ladybug studs for Christmas, but I couldn't find them at the time, so I rummaged through my jewelry box to find something for her to wear. The only earrings small enough for her were some little cz studs. Not surprisingly, she was dazzled to see them in her ears. She is certain that they are real diamonds, after all. And she LOVES them. In those first moments, I saw a side of my Ella that goes together with expensive jewelry like peanut butter goes with jelly. Like Lake Murray and summer. Like botox and wrinkles. Uh oh.

Should I have been surprised then last night when Ella brought me the 800 number for a Sleep Number bed? Well, I wasn't. I was scrubbing the carpet in my bedroom on my hands and knees like freaking Cinderella when she waltzed in and nonchalantly handed me a piece of paper with all the information I needed to order the bed exactly at that moment. What?! A 6 year old is demanding that I stop everything to order a Sleep Number bed? Right. When I laughed at her and told her if anyone would be getting a bed like that it would be me, she was absolutely, truly, unequivocably DEVASTATED. Are you kidding me?

This is gonna be a costly one to raise.