My handsome daughter.

Alternate title: My pretty son.

Tuesday was my baby girl's 8-month birthday. It was also Veteran's Day, so we had the day off work.

While home, Patrick's parents and grandmother dropped by our house unexpectedly, which turned into an unexpected lunch out with the family.

Patrick and I got the restaurant just a few minutes ahead of his parents and grandmother, so we waited outside for a few minutes. While waiting, a nice, grandmotherly-type lady approached us. You know how it is. You go out with a cute kid (and ours, obviously, is the THE CUTEST IN THE WORLD I LOVE HER SO MUCH), people are going to hound you like paparazzi stalking celebrities.

Hey! Over here! You, with the most gorgeous child in the world! God bless you and that sweet baby!
 
Hey! Over here! Your baby is so cute! I wanna pinch her cheeks!
 
Ma'am! Your daughter should be a baby model!
 
Oh, my! Isn't she cute! How old is she? What a fun age! I love her shirt!

What? People don't call out to you with compliments about your kids while furiously snapping photographs? Odd. I thought that happened to everyone.

Anyway, the nice old lady walked up to us and the following conversation took place:

Nice old lady: That is one pretty little boy.
Me: Thank you.
Nice old lady: He is just such a pretty boy!
Patrick: Thank you; she's a girl, though.
Nice old lady: Sorry?
Me: He's so pretty because he's a girl. (Said with a smile, not snark.)
Nice old lady: Oh, a pretty girl! I'm sorry. Babies are such blessings. Ahhh, so sweet!
Patrick: Thank you. We think she's great.

...a short pause while the rest of Nice Old Lady's party walks up...

Nice old lady: Yes, such a handsome boy. Have a good day!


We don't dress her in bows bigger than her head or insanely ruffled outfits, but she was wearing her pink "Cute Like Auntie" onesie. Her sense of style is cool, hip, and understated, obviously. And that IS her mama's style, obviously.

As Patrick long ago surmised, people see a baby and just kind of default to "boy." And while I get a little bit defensive (Hey, SHE is a GIRL. My precious angel baby GIRL), I also don't really take offense. Honestly, people just don't pay attention to what a baby is wearing unless it's a flashy outfit.

Nevertheless, this encounter taught me one thing: if we ever have another kid, and it's a boy, I hope he'll be as handsome as his sister.

Handsome girls and pretty boys to you and yours,
xo

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