Mirror, Mirror On The Wall...

It is true that she is named after a princess (CinderELLA, thanks to Garrett). I even call her my “little princess”, but this is meant to be a term of endearment, not to be taken literally. In fact, I always thought that if I ever had a daughter I would make a conscious effort to focus more on brains and brawn than beauty. I figured that if I could somehow manage to mold her self esteem with an emphasis on her abilities rather than her appearance then it might save her (and us as parents) some angst in her teenage years (and probably a lot of money on designer clothes). Wishful thinking, I’m sure. But Ella seems to have another idea. Since she was old enough to focus her eyes, her favorite thing to look at was…herself! You could tell because she would give those long, gaping smiles while wiggling with excitement. Even from a screaming cry, one glimpse of herself and she immediately quiets down and flashes her best picture perfect grin (I bet if she had hair she’d also be throwing it over her shoulder). It’s always been cute, but now I’m worried she’s getting carried away. You see, the closet doors in her room are mirrored and the changing table is within view. At first I just thought she was getting squirmy on the changing table, but I finally realized that it’s because she’s trying to see herself in the mirror! Should I be worried? Is vanity to girls what potty humor is to boys (I’m new at this “girl” thing)? Is it possible that she is mesmerized by mirrors because they seem “magical” (since she can see reflection)? After all, I know they are an important part of cognitive development. Okay, I’ll admit, I’m not actually discouraging this behavior either….There have been times when I shamelessly hold her in front of the mirror and make my best efforts to get her to smile to indulge my parental whims. But, look at that precious face, who wouldn’t you do the same? I guess I’ll just plan on dealing with the repercussions later.