Giggles N Curls Girls Clothing - Hot Fashions in Girls Clothes!

I love going over to my sister’s place.  It makes me appreciate how much I’ve learned about parenthood to see someone in a permanent frazzle like I used to be. Okay, so it’s just nice to see someone else suffer for a change.

That’s why I was surprised to have her drop in here early one morning with her youngest in tow. Not that she isn’t welcome or doesn’t visit. But with two girls, one in school, she just doesn’t do mornings. Claims she doesn’t have the time.  Wuss.

I poured her a coffee and went back to my laptop. She was chugging it down like this was the first oasis in the desert.  “Dresses,” she croaked.  I looked at her and waited for the caffeine to kick in.  “Cousin Angela’s wedding. Flower girl dress. Out of luck.”

It so happened I was on a celebrity gossip site at the time, and hadn’t seen my five-year old niece come up to my elbow.  “Tacky,” she pronounced. I think she got the speech pattern from her mother, but I have to admit she had good taste and some stars didn’t.

“So what do you need?” I asked the air between mother and child.

“Something good that will do for more than one occasion.”

“Pretty.”

I pointed to the coffee pot, while the flower girl-to-be wandered off.  I should solve all my problems so easily. “Here,” I swung the laptop around to face her. “Us Angels, satin and tulle, she’ll look like a princess.”

“Mmmmm.”  First look. “Mmmmmmm!” Second look. “This is nice. But a little cool for December?”

“Satin cape there, too. Or a white shawl, you decide. My fashion consultant’s bill is in the mail.”

“What about shoes?” she asked, not quite trusting her good luck or my good taste.

“I already have shoes!” the flower girl chirped.  And there she was in the doorway, wearing my red stilettos with the rhinestone bow and ankle strap.

My sister’s eyebrows rose at least an inch.  “And where did our Auntie wear those?” she smiled sweetly. I grabbed my cold coffee and started chugging myself, wondering what the dangers were of telling her they belonged to my husband.

Posted by giggles at 09:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It’s the annual run up to Christmas and as any parent knows, that means the Christmas catalog has to be duct taped to keep it together for another few weeks.  Whether it’s just the general excitement and anticipation, or the unfortunate combination of tired parents and kids, there is nothing worse than seeing a child of any age kicking and screaming in a store because they want something and right NOW! Of course it doesn’t just happen at this time of year, but often enough that you have to wonder why.

Generosity is a difficult concept to teach.  In our family, we were always encouraged to express what we would like to have, and told that Santa would try to bring us one thing we really wanted, and some other gifts.  Because if everyone wanted the same things, then the elves wouldn’t have a chance to make enough for the whole world.  So Santa would go down his lists and make sure everyone got something that was important to them. It worked for us, and it’s working for the next generation too.

Posted by giggles at 07:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A friend of mine is the single mother of one adorable little girl who is three. At least, she was adorable up until recently.  Then her mother found that things were getting out of control.

What made it especially hard is that Susan works and doesn’t have a support system for every night that she goes home.  That means getting off work, picking up her daughter at daycare, then going home to make supper, clean up, all that fun stuff you wish would go away at the end of a long day.  And on top of it, she’s suddenly found she has a demanding toddler on her hands.

It’s not that Cassie is insecure, but she clings and whines and then cries, so by the time dinner is ready they are both upset.  The little time that they had together at the end of the day was being spoiled by a clash of wills and needs, as in need to eat and need to get work done along with the need to connect for both of them.

So for a while she planned very simple dinners that took little preparation, and gradually eased Cassie into a routine of sitting at the table with a coloring book or other special toys reserved for that time, and talking.  Not that she always stayed there. Sometimes it was ten minutes and she was off to the toy chest. But she learned that her mother was available if she wanted her, and that security made them both a lot happier. That made the times when they could sit down together to do things like shopping for new clothes a lot more fun.

Posted by giggles at 11:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I don’t know about you, but I’m the kind of parent who believes they should get value for their money.  But balancing that with quality isn’t always easy.  That’s why I’m constantly on the lookout for great sales that can deliver both.

Whether it’s for the next season or the next special occasion, believe me, a little advanced planning can save you a lot of time, money and hassles.  Last Spring I picked up a darling pair of Sucre d’Orge velvet pants that will fit my youngest for the holidays.  Their Heart tights were on sale too, so her older sister got some for her holiday outfit.

I got some things for my brother’s boys as well. You can’t go wrong with sweaters when it’s coming up to winter.

It’s really not a big deal to think ahead.  The money you save on little extras and gifts, can be put toward that one really special outfit that can’t be found on sale.

Posted by giggles at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I look forward to Thanksgiving dinner with Mom and Dad and all the siblings and kids. I do. I really, really do. And I figure if I say that long enough, I’ll convince myself that I mean it.

It’s not the dinner, or the company, or even Uncle George’s false teeth antics, it’s the getting everyone ready.  The first winter I had two children, I thought the snowsuits, boots, mitts, etc was a nightmare. Well, it’s nothing compared to getting a whole family dressed and ready to go for a special occasion.

I found two keys to success were planning ahead, and getting ready way before we needed to, which allowed time for excuses (kids), accidents (me), and lost clothes (husband).

It’s not like you don’t know that ___ (insert occasion) isn’t coming, but if you procrastinate, you’re only piling pressure on yourself, and setting the whole family up for a miserable start to the day by being in a bad temper when things go wrong.  So I sit down way ahead and do some shopping for the girls.  Once I located what I wanted, I let our oldest choose her own.  She went for the funky stuff and asked for a Lili Gaufrette Bright Pink Dress.  That was fine with me. After all, it’s not dinner at the White House.  And for our little one, who already shows an inclination for the feminine frills, an  Amacello  Lace  Bodice Dress.

Let’s just hope the older one’s outfit survives, because I see her sister eyeing it as a hand-me-down.

Posted by giggles at 10:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If there is one thing I learned when my daughters were young. It’s that there are no hard and fast rules, just the best options and common sense for dealing with the things that come up as our kids are growing up.  Books are great for providing references and food for thought, but every child is an individual. What is right for one, does not work with the next child. Discipline for boys and girls differs not because of their gender, but because of the issue you’re addressing, like temper tantrums.

What I found hardest to deal with was the frustration of balancing the rest of my life and obligations with this added stress.  Not that they did it that often, but when you’re a working parent coping with a job, home life and child care, it’s really hard to put up with the screaming and kicking.  I was unhappy, my little one was unhappy and we both really needed a break.

I got a cute time-out chair, that was just theirs, and where they knew what was expected of them when they used it.  If they calmed down, they were allowed to color or bring a toy to the table.  That set got a lot of use at times, but it was literally a lifesaver.

Posted by giggles at 10:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I remember when my sister’s daughter was born.  She was determined that no girl child of hers was going to become a tomboy.  It took a great deal of willpower, but I managed to restrain myself and just smiled.  Because I knew someday she was going to lose that battle.

She didn’t realize how active and energetic toddlers can be.  Or how much energy it takes for Mom to keep up with them.  It has nothing to do with girls being unfeminine. At that age, gender and what one should or shouldn’t do, has no relevance whatsoever.  Especially when you are trying to save your sanity.

So when the time came, I suggested what I had done with my own children – enroll her in toddler gymnastics. There’s nothing wrong with a girl having the same romping fun as boys, and in a structured environment, they learn to do it safely while playing with others. 

There are a whole lot of benefits as well, including improving their coordination, learning to socialize, and hopefully getting them into a habit of being fit and active from an early age.  It’s not like they need special clothes, either. A cute little romper  set and they’re good to go.

Posted by giggles at 06:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I remember when my oldest daughter was little, and into her curious phase. Which she hasn’t outgrown yet, despite being an adult.  One day, it started with “Why do girls wear dresses and boys wear pants?”

That’s when I made my first mistake.  I actually tried to answer her directly, fishing up some details from a long-forgotten history course.  “Well, at one time, we all wore the same thing. Way back in cave man days, when the first men learned how to tie the skins of animals together and drape them around themselves, it was sort of like a dress.”

“Why?”

“Because that was all they knew how to do.”

“What are cave man days?”

“That was a long, long time ago.”

“You mean, when Granma was little?”

“Way before Granma was born.” 

“Well, it’s not long ago now, and Jeffrey has pants. How come he gets to wear them and I don’t?”

The waters were getting deep, and I was treading carefully. Even as the mother of three, I still found myself floundering.  “But you do have pants, sweetie.  And those pretty tops to go with them.  So you have the best of both worlds.  You get to wear dresses and pants!”  I was feeling pretty pleased with myself for coming up with an explanation that even a child could understand.  The feeling lasted for all of 60 seconds.

“Maybe Jeffrey would like to wear a dress, too. I’m going to go ask him.”  And off she ran next door.  I laid my head on the table, sighed, and waited for a call from Jeffrey’s mother.

Posted by giggles at 10:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Sometimes I wonder how much credit our girls are given for “smarts”.  I don’t necessarily mean their scores on a physics test, but their curiosity about the world and how things work.  Taking stuff apart and putting it back together isn’t the sole province of boys, at least not when girls are given a chance to get their hands on the tools they need.

Educational toys  aren’t just for the boys anymore, although at one time it seemed like their subject matter was directed towards “he-man” stuff.  Besides the traditional girl activities (which still have a value) like play cooking or dress-up, there are a whole host of toys and activities that will stimulate their imagination from an early age.

From dinosaur models, to rock tumbling machines, magic kits and junior telescopes, there is a world waiting for them out there with learning tools that are appropriate for all ages.

Maybe your daughter would like to imitate Mom or even Dad’s interest in photography.  Digital cameras for kids   are inexpensive and if you do your research carefully, you’ll end up with a gift they’ll love, and one that will give you both some quality time and fun, together!

Posted by giggles at 06:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)