Is it really stealing

if you know they won't mind? I have a new look for my blog. It needed a little updating, and I shamelessly stole a picture from my mother-in-law's blog. :-) It is of some of the daylilies in my grandmother-in-law's yard, which I happen to love. I changed the colors around a little to complement the picture, and I started having a "deja vu" feeling, as if I had seen these colors before and there was nostalgia there!

After a few minutes of staring at the page, it finally came to me . . . my first bikini! It was a very modest thing (as was I), and it was color-blocked with the green and purple from my page. I LOVED that swimsuit, because it made me feel sooooo grown-up. It marked the first time that I was allowed to get a two-piece and I was so proud!

Now that I have a daughter of my own (who is 7, going on 16) I am trying very hard to remember my perceptions of things as a child. I forget sometimes how much I wanted to grow up! I thought that if I could just become an adult I could do whatever I wanted whenever I felt like it! If only it were that easy, right? I understand now why my mom always said "oh, Amy, enjoy being a kid! You'll grow up before you know it and you'll miss this freedom!" Freedom! That's exactly what I thought I lacked!

That bikini was important to me. It was a symbolic thing that I thought would bring me closer to being "grown up". My mama recognized that, and helped me select something that was still age-appropriate but helped me fulfill that need. For my little girl, it's things like being allowed occasionally to wear a little lip gloss or the "dangly" earrings out of the house that help her assert some independence and feel grown up while remaining a child.

I remember being on the other side of this battle, so I know it will feel eternal as my child longs to grow up and I long for her to stay young and innocent and care-free. I hope I can find the wisdom my mama had!