Beauty

I was putting my sweet daughter down for her nap yesterday. She looked at me with her big brown's, gave me a funny look, and said, "Mom, why don't you look beautiful today?" Thinking I didn't hear her quite right, I asked if she had indeed said that. "Yes. Are you going to get dressed?" "I am dressed sweetie. I'm just wearing sweats." "No, but I mean are you going to get dressed???" "I AM dressed. Sweats are clothes. These aren't my jammies." She then gave me a very disappointed, "oh."

This is the girl that would wear a dress every day of her life if I would let her. She loves her dresses and she loves it even more when her Mommy wears dresses. I came downstairs on Saturday with make-up on and earrings and she got so excited. "Mama, you look beautiful!!" Now, I love it when she notices, but I'm thinking I've created a monster.

I've never thought I was beautiful. I've always felt like the big girl in the group. To say I have a low self-esteem would probably be taking it lightly. I haven't wanted to pass that on to my sweet miss. I'm very careful with what I say. I don't want her to know I feel this way. I don't want her to feel badly about herself. I make sure to tell her how beautiful she is. I know some don't do this, I just don't want her to question.

This morning I came down in my usual attire. Sweats. Yep. They are my friend these days. They keep me warm. They are cozy. Love 'em. As I came down I asked, "Ella, do I look beautiful today?" "NO." She gives me this look like, "are you kidding?" She then goes on to tell me she really wanted me to wear a dress today. Sorry babe. Laundry is calling and so is that stocking that needs to be done by next Tuesday. Dresses are just not in the cards. I then went over to her, looked her in the eye, and explained what makes someone beautiful...

Beauty is not about our clothes. Beauty is not about our hair. What makes you beautiful is your heart. Your kindness makes you beautiful. Your sweetness makes you beautiful. Clothes do not make you beautiful. While I love getting a sweet compliment from my daughter, even more, I want her to understand that it's not the outside that counts. I'm sure she didn't understand what I was trying to tell her, but I'll make sure I keep telling her. As much as I want her to know she is beautiful physically, more important is for her to know how beautiful she is on the inside.

Watching her play with her baby brother. Being tender with him. Lovingly going to someone when they are hurting. That is beautiful.