I’ve been conducting a private birth-order study in my own home.  Recently, lovely blog maven Melanie announced that she’s expecting a girl, and she was a little bewildered by the announcement after raising two boys.  My comment to her and our subsequent communication about it has made me reflect on what it meant in our household when pink suddenly appeared in our future and how it has all played itself out.

Grant has always been a high-energy and in-your-face kind of kid.  He loves balls, cars, and most things boy.

Eighteen months later Clark made his entrance. Clark is a darling combination of bouncy and bi-polar (not medically diagnosed, just a parental observation based on swings between glee and despair).  He loves dirt, messes, destruction and all things that make mothers think about electro-shock treatment.

Almost two years later, the ultrasound technician said, “It’s a girl,” and I thought, Yeah, right.  I don’t make girls.

She didn’t have a chance.

And I spent the several next months in denial until I finally broke down and ordered two boxes of girl clothes on eBay.  Then I could blame some other froofy mom out there for the purchase of all those pink items.

She made her cute squishy and lovable arrival that fall, and oh boy was she different.  Both of my boys nursed like they were insatiable vacuum pumps.  She nibbled and snacked and cooed and dozed.  My boys wanted to be held and talked to and fed again.  She would lay on a blanket and blink and rest and smile.

I’m still amazed by how much of her girl side is just in there. She did not learn princess-love and fascination with ballet from her brothers, and it would be almost as unlikely to have gotten it from me, who purposely tried to limit her exposure to such things.  Pink and purple are her “most favorite colors in the world.”  And she likes to tuck her dolls carefully into their strollers while she makes dinner in her play kitchen.

But she has not been unscathed by two larger-than-life brother personalities.  She’s a tough little cookie and knows how to hold her own when challenged.  She definitely has a voice, and she does not like to be interrupted.  When Matt leaves for work, she demands a hug and a kiss and then calls out after him, “Bye, poopy stinky daddy.”  She’s fearless on playgrounds and wants to try everything her brothers do.  Today I was cuddling her and she was being all cute and dainty and giggly, then out of nowhere she says, “Mom, I’m going to pee on your nose.”  Yep, she’s got brothers.

Here she is today after she tried on her Tinkerbell Halloween dress.

Right after I took the picture, I called out to the boys, “Hey guys, come look!  I found a fairy in my office!”  They came running to see, and got in her face a little, and Natalie punched Clark in the nose.

And then a few minutes later she sulked in tears because they wanted to watch the Backyardigans Halloween special instead of Dora the Explorer.

I think she’s picking her nose.  That‘s my little fairy princess, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.  (Good luck, Melanie. I hope this glimpse into your future has been educational.)