Let a new tradition begin NOW!

Traditions in our house:  We do pizza every Sunday night (unless the kids had it earlier in the day for lunch at a birthday party), go out for ice cream after dinner the first day back to school each year, the birthday person gets to pick the restaurant we eat at on the day you are born, and now, we officially have a new tradition started.....mother/daughter pedicures on Mother's day. 

Sam picking out the colors she wanted.

Since the day I found out Sam was going to be a girl, I have been waiting so patiently to take her for a pedicure.  I dreamed of us sitting in side-by-side chairs getting our toes done. To my delight, Sam is a girly-girl and has been enjoying me painting her toe nails for several months now.  But I kept thinking I'd have to wait until Sam was 5 years old for her to appreciate the real deal experience. 

On Sunday morning, after I got to sleep in (till 8:00am!!!  Thanks to Jeff for making this possible), Sam asked me to paint her toe nails. Since I was planning to go get a pedicure after brunch, I decided now was the time to take Sam with me. I couldn't wait any longer.  If all goes well, we will make this a Mother's day tradition and go each year together for mother/daughter pedicures.

It was every thing I hoped for and more.  Sam loved every minute of it and basked in the pampering.  At first the nail salon people wanted her to sit in my lap when they painted her toes, but I requested she get her own chair, filled with water in the tub and all.  She sat there and proclaimed, "I'm a big girl!".  Everyone in the salon ate her up and kept commenting how cute Sam was and what a good girl she was sitting there. Two women wanted to know exactly how old Sam was because they each had toddlers at home and was counting down until they can do the same.

On the drive over, Sam informed me what colors she was going to get on her toes, orange and black.  Oh my!  Fortunately when the moment of truth came, Sam picked out purple and pink and wanted every other toe one color and every other toe, the other color.

The nail lady was able to do the whole nine yards on Sam's feet -- trim the nails, push back the cuticles, buff, lotion, and paint.  Sam watched very closely and let the lady know when she missed a spot and to make sure she did the other foot too. 



Look at me, I'm a big girl!



Watching very closely to make sure no toes get missed.

When Sam's feet were done, she looked at the lady and said, "finger nails now, please" and held out her hands.  How can you turn down that request?

Sitting very patiently waiting for everything to dry.

The whole experience was too cute and brought tears to my eyes as I sat there living the dream I've had so vividly now for the past 3 years.  Although, in my vision, I have us going out to lunch and shopping after the pedicures.  We will have to build up to that.  :)

When the woman who runs the shop commented on how much Sam was enjoying the pedicure, she looked at me and said, "You're in trouble!".   Oh yeah, and I couldn't be happier about being in this kind of trouble.

This little piggy got some polish!

Two nights ago, we were all sitting on the couch watching tv, counting down the minutes till bedtime.  Sam looked at me and said, "Pedicure me."  I couldn't refuse her request and promptly got out a bottle of nail polish and painted her toenails.  This was a first for us.  Sam and Ian had done pretend pedicures in the past and Ian would "paint" Sam's toenails with a variety of crayons that Sam had picked out.  But when Sam looked at me and asked for a pedicure, I went for it. It was the real deal and I painted her toenails a very nice shade of hot pink.

When I was done, I had to explain to Sam she couldn't move her feet and needed to give them a couple minutes to dry.  Together we blew on her little toes to help the drying process go faster.  Sam took one look at her feet and said, "Soooooo pretty.  Soooooo pretty." 

It is no secret that I can't wait to take Sam with me for regular pedicures.  I think 2 years old is too young, but will probably take her on her 4th birthday as a special treat.  This is not something I ever did with my mom, but it is something I'd like to with my little girl.  What a better time to bond than while getting our feet pampered?  This is what makes having a girl special.  Ok, just one of many reasons. 

This little piggy cried all the way home

We've come far, far, far since Ian was 2 years old and Jeff would have to sit on top of him in order to cut his finger-and toenails. We'd stop all food and liquid an hour beforehand, in case he was going to throw-up from all the screaming and thrashing around. What a nightmare the experience was!

My fabulous friend Molly told me how her mother accomplished this with her son, Laine. She would wait until Laine was asleep and then trim her grandson's nails till her heart's content. I gave it a try with Ian and it has been peaceful trimming ever since.

About a week ago, I was unsuccessful getting to Ian's toenails 2 nights in a row. I managed to get one foot done and then he would squirm and bring his leg up under his body, like he was doing the yoga move "child's pose". It was getting frustrating and on Sunday morning, I asked Ian if I could just please have his other foot and finish the job. Ian, of course, said no and Jeff somehow managed to talk him into it. We gave Ian the iTouch to play and keep his mind off it. I was able to trim the 5 remaining toes without any problems. Ian was exceptional through the experience and didn't even squirm. Yay!

Sam sees me cut Ian's toenails and comes over and gives me her foot to do. It has never been problem doing Sam's toes and fingers. I do her one foot and then she gives me the other foot. I do that foot and then she hands me her hand. After the first hand is done, she gives me to the 2nd hand to do. All the while, she is sitting calmly in my lap and watching tv. When Sam is done, I tell Ian, "See how good Sam is at this. She WANTS me to cut her nails. Obviously it doesn't hurt or else she wouldn't let me do this. Can I please try your fingers now?" Ian agrees and in under 2 minutes, I have both hands done.

I credit Sam with showing her big brother a thing or two. Through her example, Ian was able to see that this is not painful. Go Sam!