Painted Lady? No, Never Mind...

On Sunday the four of us went to lunch.  One of our favorite restaurants just happens to be a couple of doors down from the salon where I get my nails done.  I was overdue for a pedicure, and I nonchalantly mentioned during lunch how nice it would be if I could slip next door after we ate.

“That’s fine,” Hubby piped in right away, to my surprise.  “The girls and I will go get ice cream.”

WOW!!!

Baby A immediately began salivating for ice cream, but B asked to go with me.  I took A with me a year or so ago, and she sat in my lap while I got a pedicure.  (It was not exactly relaxing, but she enjoyed seeing the process, and we enjoyed some one-on-one time together.  B had been asking for her turn.)

I told B that was fine…and then I surprised even myself by asking if she wanted to get her toenails painted.  A first!  Her little face lit up.  “REALLY??!!!” she asked incredulously.

We walked into the salon and stood before the display of polish.  I selected a bright pink, and asked if she wanted the same color as Mommy.  She did (and I got kind of excited about having matching toes).

We were seated right away, B next to me.  There’s an abbreviated pedicure for kids, so that’s what we chose.  I could tell that B was both excited an apprehensive at the process.  I did my best to explain to her what was happening.  She rolled with it, but given the look on her face, I can’t imagine she’d describe the process as “relaxing”.  I told her we could stop the process at any time, but she said she was fine to continue.

(It helped that Daddy and A came in to deliver a few bites of ice cream to B…the best of both worlds!)

After our matching bright pink toes were complete, I opted to carry B to the car.  (Since this was so impromptu, she had on tennis shoes and socks, and I didn’t want her to crease her polish.)  The hilarious part came into play when A saw B’s toes.  “YOU LOOK SO CUTE!!!  YOU LOOK SO GROWN-UP!!!”  Hee hee!!!

I’m not sure that B liked the extra attention she was getting from A.  It’s almost as if she was self-conscious about it.  Both while we were at the salon and when we got home, I reminded B that I could take the polish off at any time.

B admired her toes a bit at home, and then she put on socks.  She said she didn’t want to scare the kitties (who have a strong liking for toes!).  That night, before bed, B asked if I would remove her polish.  I obliged, and she seemed glad to see her “normal” toes.

In hindsight, I wish I’d let B come with me to observe the process as A had.  I think it was overwhelming for her to have people she didn’t know touching her feet, and then to have such a visible reminder.

I’m proud of her for stepping out there to try, though.  And I’m even prouder of her for having the courage to tell me she was done being a Painted Lady (my words, not hers).

This was a new experience for both of us.  It didn’t end quite the way I would have imagined, but we did it together.

(And I guess my pedicure time every few weeks will remain one of quiet for me…I don’t think the girls will be asking to accompany me for a while.)