On Barbies and lipsticks

 "NO", I exclaimed to Pavana, who was about 6 months pregnant at the time.  We were on the customary baby shopping excursion at Target.  As I carefully returned the baby pink onesie to the newborn clothes rack, I saw Pavana roll her eyes.  It was a phase when I was determined to be unyielding to any type gender stereotypes.  I had become annoyingly bullheaded.  I would vehemently reject any garment in the conventional baby (read 'bleached') shades of pink and blue.

Fast forward 7 years.  Our home is filled with Barbie dolls, some fully dressed and some not so much.  There is also a Shopkins set, a Polly Pocket set, and some decorate-your-own-cake toy.  Everyday, I also get educated on how cool doll houses are.  The dresser drawers are filled with bleached pink apparel.  Pavana's 'hanging earrings' are constantly borrowed as are her lipstick, fancy bindis and kajal.  Our bedroom carpet has pink nail-polish stains.

I have realized that parenting never goes as planned.  Ultimately, your children will grow up the way they are destined to, and you will love them no matter who they are.