parenting | Lessons from my daughter

Since Mac opened at our mall, every time we walk by I ask Emily if she wants a make-up makeover.

Every time, she says no.

Today wasn’t different.

I showed her the new Cinderella products and she still said no.

We walked around the mall and I stopped to look at the Cinderella lipsticks on the way back.

The mall was fairly quiet and the girls at Mac weren’t busy with other clients so I engaged them in Cinderella discussion. Confirming that the items were brand new, only released for sale today and not quite sold-out yet.

Emily liked the colors but didn’t want to try until one of the girls started talking to her directly.

I love it when sales people understand that I’m there for Emily and that she might need help coming out of her shell.

Once they started talking to her, we had Emily try the lipstick than I asked for a neutral foundation for her eyelids.

They recommended a product and asked Emily if she would let them show her how it worked 🙂

Bingo! They had her in the chair.

Didn’t we all play make-over when we were kids? I just wanted Emily to experience it too and today, I saw Emily talk make-up with the girls. I quite frankly wasn’t sure I would ever see this because most people won’t take the time required to win Emily over.

Today, they won her over and made me spend some hard earned money

We all won!

They applied the Pro Longwear Paint pot cream on her eyelids and blended it in. Suddenly Emily right eye wasn’t red anymore. Emily liked it so I pushed my luck and ask if she wanted to try the Cinderella eye shadow!

She tried it! She picked the sparkly one!

At that point I figured it was time to show her the shimmering powder!

Ok, I know, I’m a kid…. But I loved this.

I loved being in a awesome make-up store with my teenage girl. I loved seeing her eyes sparkle as she saw the difference good subtle make-up does.

I want my girl to have good skin routine and nice make-up. She deserves it.

So I bought her some nice things today!

I even bought the second lipstick just because I liked it 🙂

Don’t we all deserve to feel like Cinderella, the most beautiful girl at the bal?

We all have a favorite Disney character!

Dopey is mine!

I have loved Dopey for years!

I loved him as a kid, I love him as an adult.

He is sweet! Gentle! He doesn’t talk but you understand what he is telling you! You want to take care of him and protect him.

I have always loved Dopey.

Emily has always known that Dopey is my guy. Followed closely by Mary Poppins.

Over the years, Emily gave me a t-shirt, a stuff toy and mugs!

When our Disney store closed, I bought a gnome. That little guy is never going to see the outdoor. He is my prized possession.

In January 2009, we took Emily on her first plane trip.

We went to Orlando.

We went to Disney.

I will tell you all about that trip one day but for now, let me tell you this little story!

We planned for Emily to meet all the princesses and many other characters. I spent weeks planning this.

What I hadn’t planned was for Dopey to stand there one afternoon with Snow White and Prince Charming.

We had met Snow White already and although I wanted to meet Dopey, I would have never ask Emily to wait in line for me but Emily wouldn’t have it any other way. She grabbed my hand and made us stay there, at the end of the super long line.

Within minutes of us being in line, it was break time for Snow White and her Prince.

They left and told the people waiting that they would be back in so many minutes….

Dopey stayed.

The line didn’t move.

Everybody wanted Snow White.

The person accompanying Dopey started asking people in line if anyone was there for Dopey.

Nobody moved… except that 9 year old tiny girl who literally jumped out of the line-up to scream as loud as she could : “My mom!!! She loves Dopey!!!”

Emily grabbed my hand, moved me to the front of the line and created one amazing memory for me!

Emily gave me my childhood dream of meeting Dopey.