(Flower) Girl Power.

My brother is getting married in exactly eight days, and seeing as Kiyomi is the flower girl I figured it was about time I thought about getting her a dress. My future sister-in-law is a fairly calm person, but I could sense a little concern in her voice when she asked me a few weeks ago at her shower if I had thought about getting Kiyomi a dress yet. If it had even entered my mind. If I had remembered there was a wedding taking place in exactly twenty-seven days. It's as if she heard about my reputation for waiting until the very last minute to do things and was starting to panic. I told her not to worry, that I'd give myself at least a couple of days to find something and if I didn't I had seen a great episode of MTV's House Of Style where they used two pillowcases and a necktie to make a nifty dress.

I picked the girks up from school yesterday and we headed to the mall but I wasn't looking forward to it - shopping with them is not an easy task these days.. I really miss how it was before, when we could breeze into Gap Kids and I'd grab a pair of appliquéd overalls or a sweet little dress off the rack that would meet with rapturous approval. Not anymore.

Something sinister happens between the ages of oh, say EIGHT AND TEN where they suddenly develop a violent adverse reaction to anything picked out by their mother. If I even so much as point to a dress that I think is cute or a pair of pants they might want to try on, their faces contort and they immediately run in the opposite direction, as if I had just pulled a headless torso from between the hangers. Somewhere along the way it went from being a fun, bonding afternoon outing to an incredibly tortuous activity, one that makes me think they should consider installing a full bar in every children's clothing section. Somehow I don't think I'd take it so hard when they reject the shirt I pick out if I had a nice martini in my hand.

When Kira heard that she would be getting something new to wear as well, she let out a squeal as only a tween can do when presented with a prime retail activity. She whipped out her sketch pad that she carries with her everywhere and, in the ten minutes it took us to drive to the mall, drew this picture of her dress that she wanted.

I hated to burst her bubble, but I told her that as much as I liked her drawing there was the distinct possibility that we wouldn't be able to find one that matched exactly. She thought about it minute, I'm sure imagining what kind of evil God would allow her to be born into such a simple family and then said, "Well, do you think we can have it made?" Yes I told her, yes! I would have the seamstresses start working on it as soon as we got home, after they were done hand-beading my slippers and sewing the rubies onto my bathrobe.

Wanting to avoid any further misconceptions, I made it clear to Kiyomi that since we were buying a dress specifically for a wedding that I would be picking it out - I had been to a few weddings and knew a thing or two damnit. Don't even bother trying to talk me into the mini with the matching hoodie, or the camo tankdress or anything silkscreened with horses, puppies or the word phat on it. I told her that none of these were appropriate to wear to a wedding, but that she was free to do as she pleased when she grew up, moved into a trailer and married her cousin.

Surprisingly, it didn't matter because as soon as she saw the rows of frilly white dresses she got very excited, and immediately asked for "the fluffiest one" which was shocking coming from my little tomboy. We finally decided on one, and as she was standing there in front of the mirror it struck me how incredibly beautiful my little girl is, and how angelic she appeared in that white dress, a bundle of satin and tulle. I was reminded of who I was dealing with though, when she hiked the dress over her head and started kicking her legs up in a crazy little dance number. When I reminded her that she might not want to do that while walking down the aisle she replied, "Oh, I know. It's for the party afterwards." Imagine how much fun she'll be at the reception when she's old enough to drink.

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