Kees' Favorite Color is PINK!!!

My sweet baby boy's most favoritest color is pink. Having a big sister who thinks that fairies are the most awesome thing, that wears pink every day, and is a girly girl has an effect on a guy. He's been dressed up in princess clothes as long as he can remember. We all paint our finger and toe nails regularly. He gets very excited when the House Fairy comes and leaves him a gift for cleaning his room. And he loves a good fairy or princess story as much as anyone.

Late this Spring as we were planning our summer trips I made everyone try on their water shoes. All fit well. So that's that right? No, Kees wanted pink water shoes like Fia's. He loved hers and did not like his AT ALL! As I was out shopping I saw some pink water shoes for $8. How can I deny my boy his pink water shoes at that price. Really I think it's precious that he likes pink. I know that it will only last so long so I indulge him with his pink things.

I got home and presented him his shoes. OH, he was so happy! He put them right on and wore them all weekend. And then he wore them (proudly) to school on Monday. I worried a little about him getting teased but I knew the teachers would protect him. When I went to pick him up he ran over and told me, "That boy over there said that my shoes are girl shoes." I said, "Well they're not! They're on a boys feet, so they're boy's shoes." He seemed content with that answer but still a little confused about why that guy didn't get it.

Then last month he had his toe and finger nails painted purple. When we were in San Francisco the kids were running around in their bare feet at a play ground. Some kid gave him a hard time about the color on his finger nails. Again he came over to me and was concerned about this. Seriously!!! In San Francisco of all places a guy should be safe with purple nails! I told him to ignore that kid and he did.

Now don't get me wrong. In his mind there is nothing finer then MONSTER TRUCKS!!! He loves any kind of car, truck, boat, train etc. Anything with a motor and the bigger and faster the better. He and his brother have been into guns. I don't think there is any way you can ignore the fact that there are guns in this world and that boys are drawn toward them. He loves his bike and pretends it's a motorcycle. Swords...GOOD. BIG TRUCKS....GOOD. Kung fu....GOOD. Pretend shooting....GOOD. Throwing stuff....GOOD. He is all boy...except for the pink stuff. Maybe all that serious boy stuff is why it's particularly cute that he likes pink.

He is starting to get it....that our society doesn't let boys, at least little boys, wear pink. I don't know why, he looks really cute in pink. His daddy wears pink and no one says anything nasty to Bob when he wears pink. It breaks my heart that anyone would give my baby a hard time about it. It's the beginning of his growing up and trying to conform to society. I knew it would happen but it's still hard. I don't want any of my kids to have to change who they are just so they can "fit in." They are awesome individuals as they are. I love them as their sweet innocent little selves.

So he still is wearing pink but he is a little more guarded. He isn't as exuberant about his pink water shoes as he once was. And that is a bit sad for me but it also means he's growing up and that is not sad. He is a beautiful, sensitive boy who will probably have a new favorite color soon. I will have to accept some boring ole "boy" color like blue or brown or something. But I will always have the memories of his purple toes, his pink water shoes, and that cute princess dress that matched his brothers. I love my little boys and look forward to the young men they will become.