Discovering the Joy of Nail Polish

If you've met Janae, you know she loves anything shiny or sparkly. One of her greatest interests lately has become nail polish (or, as she says, "nail ponish"). Thanks to her aunties (and their Avon brochures), I've got a growing collection of colors, and Janae loves to try them out on her toes . . . and now her fingers.

 

She calls the colors by their names, letting me know if she wants "Spring Fling" or "Cotton Candy" (her two favorites). Occasionally she will choose "Crystal Calm" or "Bronze Patina," and her most recent experiment was "Blue Lagoon."

 

While I worry a little about the long-term effects of all this gussying up (i.e., are we heading for a 7-year-old who wants to wear mascara?), I have found that all this nail polishing does come with some benefits to me.

 

It gives me a break from playing pirates, helps me teach Janae to sit still (she sits remarkably still and even lets me blow on her nails until they are dry), and--best of all--it has finally provided me with a way to CUT Janae's razor-sharp fingernails. She has never let me use the clippers (we have had lots of tears and wrestling . . . and even after that I have not got them cut), but I've found I can sneak in a few little clips before putting on the "nail ponish"--explaining that I need to get her nails "ready."

 

And, of course, it is a fun thing Janae and I can do together--after all, we are the "girls" in the family. (Ben has tried to get in on the nail polish, too, but I've been able to hold him off so far :)) I always thought it would be fun to have a daughter, but I didn't realize all of this would start at such a young age.

First fancy dresses, then chapstick, now nailpolish. I wonder what will be next. . . .