Carolina Princess

So this week has been BUSY.  It has been fun and different too....but definitely BUSY.  We've had the usual stuff going on....plus we've been having a little too much fun getting The Girl ready to participate with Miss Molly in the Miss Garner pageant. 

Now....this is NOT toddlers and tearras!  The girl is not being judged or competing in any way, shape, or form.  This is a great opportunity for her though to play big time dress up and to be VERY brave and have lots of fun.  The girl is a girly girl.  She likes dresses, sparkles, makeup, hair....the works and the chance to dress up and hang out with Miss Molly and lots of other "fancy" girls is absolutely appealing to her!  The stage part....not so much....but after weighing her options she decided she DEFINITELY wanted to do this!  I was shocked, not that she wanted the makeup/hair/dress up....but that she would go on stage and do choreography...but I'm telling you....My girl is coming into her own!

So last Monday we met mom at David's Bridal "just to look" at dresses because we had the very generous offer to borrow a dress from Miss Molly's former princess.

She looked so pretty in all the dresses.

We don't go shopping for clothes much at all because we are so blessed with wonderful people who share their stuff so generously with us....so the whole fitting room experience was very exciting for her!

Nanny and Pa decided they wanted to buy her a princess dress. 

Needless to say she was thrilled!

They even got her matching shoes!

After a long day of shopping and Odyssey and School and Gymnastics....we went to meet sweet Nina for a costume consultation.

She had so many GREAT ideas and we were able to come up with a plan for her gypsy costume for the "production number" and Miss Nina had some cheap-o hints for me that I loved and appreciated.

Sophie really did have fun meeting with Nina...she was just very tired!

The rest of the week was filled with looking for gypsey shoes....hair stuff....filling out form after form....getting forms notorized....finding a black and white photo for the program....

Then Saturday we headed to Nanny's to practice hair and makeup....That is Nanny's expertise....Not Mine!

They had lots of fun playing dress up.

Baby cousin Julia got in on the action...and no they did not color coordinate on purpose.  Great minds think alike!

After hair it was on to makeup....which THE GIRL wore allllll day!

We came up with some final ideas for the Gypsy costume.

Then Sunday The Girl got to meet the reigning Miss Garner!

She had lots of time waiting and got to make friends and play with the other Carolina Princesses

Then it was time to learn and practice the production number...

It is going to be CUTE!

So I've learned I am definitely enjoying this experience and I think it is going to VERY beneficial for the girl.  She is growing in confidence.  She is being brave and she is having so much fun! 

I am also really glad that this pageant focuses points primarily on the interview and on talent. 

I am also continually reminding THE GIRL that Molly is competing, NOT HER.  That she is just participating with Molly.  We have had several opportunities to talk about what makes someone beautiful and does beauty matter and how much and why....It has been a good conversation opener for lots of important discussions that I am grateful to be having.  It has also been fun for Nanny, and me, and the girl to have an excuse to get together more!  So we have a few more weeks and then the big show.  Looking forward to it!  GO MOLLY!