Sugar and Spice

WHAT ARE LITTLE GIRLS MADE OF?

What are little girls made of?

What are little girls made of?

Sugar and spice

And everything nice,

That's what little girls are made of.^[1]

          (Author Unknown)

Six years ago, my sister Lisa was raising three boys and had adjusted to life with a house full of males, eventhough she was raised in a house predominantly female.  She loved being a soccer mom and hockey mom.  She didn't mind tripping over their toy trucks.  She bandaged scraped knees and kissed bruised elbows on a regular basis.  And then when she least expected it, she got her little girl.  Her Daddy calls her "The Platinum Princess".  One bat of her eyelashes and the world is her oyster.  She keeps track of her brothers; they can get away with nothing.  And yet she has her Daddy wrapped around her little finger.  She is a prima ballerina who steals the show at her recital, her teacher placing her front and centre.  Her smile lights up the room.  Like her Mom, she has a petite build, but a powerful voice.  And she exercises it with gusto.  She isn't afraid to speak her mind, likely a survival tactic in a house full of boys. 

Here is a poem that I wrote for my niece, Meghan, on Valentine's Day 2008, using her favourite phrase as a two year old.

MY DO IT MYSELF

She feeds the kitty
She feeds the doggy
She feeds the horsey
"My do it myself!"

She puts on her dress
She goes on the potty
She cleans up the mess
"My do it myself!"

She combs her blonde hair
She washes her face
She climbs on a chair
"My do it myself!"

She skates on the ice
She jumps on the tramp
She's sugar and spice
"My do it myself!"

"I'll help", says Mommy.
"I'll help", says Daddy.
"I'll help", says Cody.
"My do it myself!"

Linda Jonasson

It was six years ago today that the ballerina was born.  Happy Birthday, Meghan!  We love you!


Photo courtesy http://yougogirldance.com