My Princess

Maybe it's because she shares a name with a queen.

Maybe it's because she's been a pampered darling since birth.

Whatever the reason, Elizabeth is firmly entrenched in Princesses.

I fought it tooth and nail.

The whole Disney Princess thing bugs me. On several levels. Not the least in that it seems to encourage girls to pay too much attention to their outer appearance.

I know. I know. Rapunzel was pretty handy with a frying pan, but you have only to listen to a conversation between Joseph and Elizabeth to realize beauty and appearance are vital to Princesses.

In Joseph's words, since Elizabeth is cute, then she can be a Princess. *head desk*

And then, when we were at Disneyland...

We sat on the sidewalk, eating cotton candy as the music heralded the parade. Four men pounding drums, marched their way towards us, stopping to set a beat guaranteed to make everyone's toes tap. Elizabeth jumped to her feet and started dancing. I barely caught her as she ran towards the drummers. One walked over to her, tapping his drum faster and faster. She danced faster and faster until with a flourish, he tossed his drumsticks in the air and reached out to high five her.

She grabbed his hand and started to enter the parade.

He shook his head and waved to her as I pulled her back to her spot on the sidewalk.

The next group came out. Belly dancers wove a pattern with cymbals clashing. Elizabeth lifted her arms and mimicked their movements. Like the drummers, they were charmed.

Joseph and I exchanged a grin as his sister spun and wove in a little circle. Melissa looked at me, laughing at her antics.

As each group arrived, Elizabeth threw herself into the dances and the music. (Well, except Captain Hook, who sent her running to my arms.) And then the Princesses arrived.

With eyes shining and a smile spread across her face, she raised her chin and held out her shirt. Mirroring the dancing women, she waltzed with poise and grace until she saw Cinderella.

Cinderella, that blue bedecked blonde, waved to the crowd from her throne as the Princess of all Princesses. She looked at Elizabeth and blew her a kiss.

Elizabeth dropped her pose and clasped her hands together squealing, "Cinderella loves me!"

Putting pudgy fingers to her own lips, she blew kisses back, waving until Cinderella disappeared around the corner. She looked at me with stars in her eyes.

"Mommy. I a Princess too."

At that moment, I gave up the fight. I smiled at my darling girl and replied, "You are, baby."