Mothers and Sons

As someone who works from home, I don't often get very "gussied up", as Helen would have said (well, the real reason is most likely just laziness). I might put on make-up once every 2 months. My daughter loves it when I do this, and she often comes in the bathroom to join in the fun. Her favorite thing is to take my purple eyeshadow and brush it all over her face. When she sees the results in the mirror she is ecstatic, and I love the fact that she can get away with such bold fashion statements, when at my age, I must be more concerned with minimising defects and wrinkles.

After one of our girlie sessions in the bathroom, we went downstairs, and Lucia started saying that now she was pretty. Trying to affirm my daughter's sense of self, I assured her that she was always beautiful, even without make-up, that she was my beautiful little girl. Colin was listening to this, and looks at me, and says with all of his endearing earnestness, "Mommy, you are beautiful, too."

Now I think I get the whole mothers and sons thing.