NOOOooooo WAY!

Ugh! So this is what back-to-school shopping is all about? Geez, Madeline will be in Pre-K for three 1/2 days a week this year. Her back-to-school list is a small one so for the most part the supplies are not going to be the issue. I am, however, getting a glimpse into what things might be like when I have to clothes shopping with Madeline as a teenager......NOT looking forward to that one! This year, I was told that Madeline will need a backpack. She was thrilled to pick out and buy this Hello Kitty backpack. I told Madeline that she had to wait until kindergarten to get a new lunch bag, so she'll be toting her Princess lunch bag to pre-school this year too. Same thing with her butterfly ice pack....this one works fine, does she really need a new one?? - No!! I was told that I would also need to pack Madeline both a lunch AND a snack for school. That's more than she eats at home....but, okay. The snack has to be packed separately from the lunch so I did pick up a small container that has an icee pack built into the lid. I figured that would be good to keep fruit cold. Other than that, the majority of Madeline's supplies (crayons, glue, etc, etc, etc) is supplied by the school through her tuition. I did have to pick up the usual tissues, napkins, clean-up wipes.

Where the problem lies is the clothing. A few issues (A) What fits her now might not fit her in November or December. I am trying to figure the best strategy to get the most use out of what we buy now. How big can I get away with buying her clothes? (B) Madeline is no longer in the Toddler sizes but rather in the girls department. Whoever is designing and buying skanky, trashy clothes for their LITTLE GIRLS should be shot. Browsing the girls department, you would think that we were dressing the girls for ladies night at a bar! (C) Why is it that Madeline is drawn to the glittery crap out there??

Prime example, look at this dress Madeline wanted!!! NO, I DID NOT BUY THIS!! But this is something she was admiring. The picture doesn't show the level of raunch in the dress, but aside from the "criss-cross" action at the boobies, all the ruffles and frills had black animal stripes. Really??? Are you serious??

Don't get me wrong...I know Madeline is growing up and I am not trying to continue to dress her like a baby. I am not trying to go the other extreme and dress her too young, but only appropriately. I didn't have much luck today. I don't have any pictures of what we actually did buy but we only purchased a pair of black leggings, a jean skirt, a short-sleeved sweater....with built in cami, (Gotta love that!) and a dress. (The dress was too cute because it came as a two piece set.....the 2nd piece being a matching dress to put on a doll) I must say that I was very disappointed in a normal favorite, Children's Place. I am thinking that I will need to head out again over the course of this month to pick up some items from Carters, Gap Kids and Gymboree. These are more my speed!! What am I going to do when I have less say in what this girl wears???? I guess I will just try to teach her well now.

Despite the clothing frustration and the need for another shopping trip, we got all but one item on Madeline's list. We ended the afternoon on a ride on the mall's merry-go-round. (No, I didn't try to jump onto this one while it was moving! And, since I posted the picture of my bruise, the bruise has gotten even darker and is in fact, such a dark purple that it almost looks black!) Maddie was happy that she was able to snag her favorite spot on the ride, the kitty. But now, can someone please answer the question of the day.....Where on earth does one find an art smock??? (No luck at Target or Walmart!)