Awwww.

So I think it's almost a shame that I have to post anything else, because my husband says the kindest things. And I want everyone to read it, and know that it's ALL true. Like I said, I really lucked out with him.
That being said, I have to tell some more stories about how my mothering skills are really a work in progress. Riley and I seem to have conflicting opinions on her clothing. As I mentioned before, in the mornings before school, she likes to veto the outfits that I have, with careful consideration, laid out for her. This week I have realized that my go-to plan of just yelling and threatening when she discards my fashionable creations, for the tackiest, shabbiest pieces in her closet, might not be the best solution. Two mornings ago, I went into her room and woke Riley up for school. Now, I guess I really shouldn't say "woke her up", because she usually will grunt, pull the covers over her head and refuse to open her eyes until I've gone downstairs and started working on her lunch. Usually I have to yell up to her about three times to hurry up and then I know I can stop when I hear the bathroom door slam, as she's letting me know that she's getting dressed, and she's mad at me for yelling. Anyway, that morning's power-play was especially harsh. I had picked out a pair of jeans, and a shirt that is adorable. She yelled from the bathroom that she didn't want to wear that particular shirt, and I yelled back that I had already picked it out, and she really had no choice. (I'm agreeable that way). To make a long story a lot shorter, chaos ensued, and (can I use any more cliches in one sentence?) we argued for about thirty minutes; making me more and more infuriated. We had about ten minutes before we had to leave and I finally had these thoughts: "Why is this so important to me?, Is this really worth Riley crying?, If I give in, does this mean I've lost control? Or does it mean I can admit when I have taken something way to far?" Disgusted with my bi-polar disorder, I just yelled up to her, "fine, just wear what you want to. I don't care. I am done fighting about it."

(The shirt that caused all the unhappiness)
Now, let me take you back to my childhood. When I was in the fourth grade I had a pair of blue pants. These pants also had a red heart-shaped patch sewn into the butt of them, as they were purchased at a yard sale by my mom, and there was a part that was, shudder to think, "worn out" on the left butt-cheek. Now I'm not dissing on yard sales, much of my wardrobe and childhood toys were purchased at said places. But it was the patch on the butt, the one that my mom sewed on; calling it "Carebear like", that still gives me grief to this day. I remember only having about four pairs of pants total, counting the blue ones. And this made the number of times a month these pants were worn, relatively high. One day, I still remember the boy, Jared Stafford, said to me, "Rainey, what happened, did you blow the butt out of your pants?" From then on, they were SO not the pants I wanted to wear ever again. I remember crying and telling my mother that I would do anything to get rid of them. Luckily, I got to...I gave them to my younger sister, Lora. (Needless to say, my two sisters also have horror stories about these same pants).
I heard Riley coming downstairs, and I had just finished making her breakfast. I noticed that she had found a different shirt, and put it on. Regardless of just thinking of my blue pants and how I hated to wear them for the previous reasons, I told myself that I just needed to let it go. I was still pissed, but I just mumbled for her to eat her breakfast. She looked at me, and said, "Just a second". I just grunted an okay, and told her to hurry. For the next few minutes I just unloaded the dishwasher a little harder and louder than normal while I fumed until I heard Riley come back into the kitchen. I looked up and noticed she was wearing the "offensive shirt". I stopped, and looked at her, as she stared at me. She went to the toaster and grabbed the English Muffin that I had toasted for her, and sat at the table, eating as if nothing was unusual. Right then I felt like a loser. How is it that I'm the thirty year old, and she's the one that will soon turn eight? I asked her why she changed and she said, "because I just didn't want you to be mad at me." It was right then that my questions were answered. YES...I am a self-absorbed, overly shallow mother that seriously needs to re-evaluate her priorities. Especially when it comes to my daughter.
I was touched, and I was humbled. So I made a deal with her, (even though it pained me to no end). From now on, I get all fashion-say Monday through Thursday. However, Fridays are all hers. Yeah, I'm a giver. I know I'm ridiculous, but these are the things that my daughter is teaching me. I learn from her and am a better person because of her. I'm just so thankful that Riley is the way she is, because I know it can't be easy. If any of you have some sort of advice as to what I can do to avoid being so obsessive-compulsive, please, for my sweet little girl's sake, fill me in.