Oh Baby! - Call me "princess"

The little one is asleep, the internet is up and running, and I finally get some time on the laptop, so it's time for some "Clear-the-draft-folder" posts again. This was probably from a few months back.
Things are getting more princessy around here lately.
One morning this week, I saw J stepping on the leg opening of her oversized PJs and sprung to save her from falling flat on her face should she trip. She was mumbling and I didn't make out what it was until it was too late. Until I adjusted her pants and she got all annoyed. Turns out, this was what she was mumbling happily about...

"I'm walking like a princess!"

This is the start to all things "princess"...


We've been hoping to skip this princess-phase, mainly because we don't wish J to grow up feeling entitled. So we haven't addressed J as "our princess" in front of our family and friends. Not to J either.

I did expose her to Disney songs and she has a Frozen storybook gifted by a friend.
I have also accidentally told her that it "looks like a princess" when her necklace got stuck on her forehead.

J has this tutu skirt my uncle gave her. I haven't let her wear it out because it's not very flattering with her little belly. So that skirt becomes a dress-up item in the playroom. It wasn't intended to, but when J tries to put on her swimming costume as a skirt, I had to give her an alternative.

That night, we left her in her playroom after her shower when I went to pick up the shower-stuff.
When I returned to the room to this:

"I'm princess. " she said gleefully.
A few moments later, I asked her what her name was.
She said her full name, ending with "princess".

It was hilarious.
I also struck me that we have been too uptight about this sense of entitlement issue.
After she removed her tutu skirt, she was back to usual J. That J that would jump off the couch.
The J that still says "Hi" to the neighbours.
The J who tells her mom not to cry when her mother is taking her medicine.
That J who would be okay when I say that we are not getting that toy.

Putting on a pretty skirt or dress and declaring that she's a princess wouldn't give my child a false sense of entitlement. It's our daily interactions that matter.

For now, I'll embrace whatever Princess-pretend -play we have and enjoy all of it.