Stinkin' Beauty

Abigail thinks she's a princess. When I say that, I mean it literally. She tells everyone she meets that she's a princess, and she says it with this serious face that makes me laugh every time. Her brow scrunches up, she lowers her head a little bit, then she looks up at you from under flattened eyelids and says, in this deep, serious voice, "I'm a PWINCESS."

It makes me laugh just imagining her saying it. She has no idea how cute she is.

I have a fancy princess dress that a friend gave me when her daughter outgrew it. Molly wore it when she was smaller, back when Abby didn't really care. Molly outgrew it a while back, and I put it away so they didn't make a mop (or something equally destructive) out of it. I came across it in the closet yesterday, and gave it to Abigail.

She was stunned speechless when I put the dress in her chubby little hands. She held it up to her face, closed her eyes, then giggled. I put it on her, hoping it would still fit. It did. Fluffy pink netting and sparkles surrounded my little girl like a cloud. The crown that came with it has a small cameo of Princess Aurora on it, surrounded by glittering pink gems. She was beautiful, looking just like a tiny Disney Princess.

She wore the dress all day. She tiptoed around gracefully, holding her skirts out and twirling occasionally. When she sat down, she fluffed her skirts around her and arranged herself carefully, perching on the edge of a chair so she didn't crush her dress. I felt like I should bow in her presence.

When my husband came home from work, he oohed and aahed over her dress, telling her how beautiful she was. When it was time for dinner, he took her hand and said, "May I escort you to dinner, Princess Abigail?"

She snatched her hand back with an indignant flip that only a real princess could muster.

"I'm NOT Princess Abigail."

Amused, my husband asked, "Oh? Then who are you?"

"I'm Stinkin' Beauty!"

Truer words have never been spoken. When we all dissolved into hysterics, she rolled her eyes and did a delicate stomp to her seat at the dinner table. Her twisting of words was unintentional, but it will never be forgotten. She will always be our little Stinkin' Beauty.