Instead they chose to have a dance for all 8th grade students to celebrate the end of the year.
Teen 2 said it was going to be a formal dress, but seriously, in Jr. High, it was so not!
She surprised me by telling me she was going to wear a summer dress that she had
Great, I thought, no dress shopping for me.
This girl is impossible to shop with. She doesn’t care for anything I show her.
Always finds the most expensive items on the rack and of course it’s always “the only thing I like here!”
We could walk the mall for hours and walk out with NOTHING.
Now I do this by myself for leisure, but because I enjoy it.
When I’m actually trying to find something for her and it’s not happening, it’s extremely frustrating!
So in true teenage girl fashion, a few nights before the dance-
She NEEDS a cardigan to go over her dress so she doesn’t get kicked out for not following proper dress code.
AND
She NEEDS a pair of sandals to wear, because even though I just bought her a pair of flats the weekend prior, they did not go with the dress.
On Sunday night we head to the local mall and I have the girls run inside to a shoe store that she was SURE had shoes for her.
2 minutes later, Teen 1 calls, Mom, the store isn’t here.
The girls get back in the car and we drive to the other side of the mall(the boy was asleep and I didn’t bring a stroller in case you’re wondering why my lazy ass didn’t walk!)
They run inside, that store is gone!
What the heck is going on here?! I wonder.
So I wake up The Boy and we spend an hour walking up and down the mall going in and out of every shoe store, to no avail. There is NOTHING there that she likes.
“I’m just gonna wear some shoes I already have” she says.
Ok, fine, great. I’m thinking.
However the next day the mommy guilt sinks in.
I think back to my 8th grade graduation ceremony. Mom’s favorite shopping spot was the alleys in L.A. You could get great deals, but not always the best of quality and not always age appropriate article of clothing for pre-teens.
I ended up with a skin tight spandex type green dress with shoulder cut outs and all (it was the early 90’s people)
To top it off, my body was banging, I must admit!
Yes, I do remind my kids I was voted Best Body back in the day!
I already had a womanly shape and a J Lo booty in the making.
When I got to school that day, I realized just how inappropriate my dress was.
All the other girls were dressed in their spring colored frilly dresses
With stockings and their flat dress shoes.
I on the other hand looked like a hooker in my spandex dress and black pumps.
Wow, I think I’m still traumatized!
Ahem, I must digress.
I wanted Teen 2 to have the outfit she longed for and would remember for the rest of her life(in a good way))
The next day I tell her to get ready because we’re going to the mall after I get off of work.
We walk into the mall and I tell her,
If you don’t like that dress or want something else, tell me now.
Her eyes light up and we walk into a store that they just opened up.
She finds a romper and 3 different dresses to try on.
She comes out of the dressing room each time and doesn’t like anything
Except the Green Romper.
It’s linen and it’s shorts.
Not exactly what I’d call formal.
I know all the other girls will be wearing dresses.
I ask and warn her, Are you sure? You won’t feel uncomfortable?
I won’t, I want it, she pleads!
Problem is, this item is strapless so we still need a cardigan.
We search the store aisle by aisle, row by row.
NOTHING
No cardigan that will match or look right.
I tell her if we don’t find a cardigan, I’m not buying it.
We can’t return at this store and if nothing looks right, you’re stuck with it.
She doesn’t see the problem.
But I know she’ll find something else that she’ll like better.
So we walk out of that store.
By this time The Boy is whining, running up and down the aisles,
slumping over in the dressing room, tugging on my leg, and reminding me that he’s starving.
The Boy and I go to the food court and I order us some dinner
Teen 2 on the other hand is going into every store in the mall
She calls, I’m at Charolette Russe,
I’m at Forever 21,
I’m at Foreign Exchange,
I’m going to Bloom.
We meet up 2 hours later,
Yes 2 hours later.
NOTHING!
I break down,
TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT!
Don’t be scared ( I remember I can be beastly)
Just ask!
(for the love of all things holy, I just want to leave this place!)
She looks at me with some intimidation.
I want the romper, she mumbles.
Ugghhh…I broke down.
Ok, let’s go get the romper.
We walk back to the original store that we started at 2 hours ago.
We find the romper, a necklace to glam it up,
And could you believe it, a fricken cardigan to match!
I swipe my credit card and we head home.
As usual when we get home, I tell her to try it all on with some shoes so we can see the whole look.
I give her a few minutes and I walk back in her room.
I take a look at her
We look at each other.
It’s too casual we say in unison.
I think I’m gonna wear the dress, she says.
I can wear this on the last day of school Mom, because there’s a bonfire after school.
And then I realize it.
SUCKER!!
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1 comment:
Oh, I am so glad I don't have girls. Both my wife and I hate the mall. Sounds like you are spending a lot of time in that place.
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