Old vs. Young: the Gender Faux Pas

I have only one goal for my golden years.

And that is to be able to accurately recognize the gender of people’s small children.

Because at this moment in time, and possessing two such small children who happen to be GIRLS, nothing infuriates me more than for someone to mistake them for boys.

My girls wear girlie colors. Ellie has long, wavy hair with little ringlets that curl up to frame her face. She wears pink and purple. She wears pigtails and ponytails.

Eva has unfortunately short hair still, but also always dons girlie colors.

I’m not saying I expect people to possess some natural gift for discerning gender. I too have been tricked into thinking a long-haired little boy is a girl, and who in the world would know that Shiloh Jolie-Pitt is actually a girl if her parents didn’t always grace the pages of magazines all over the world?? (poor child!)

But I dress my girls like girls. They both have their ears pierced, for crying out loud!  

And yet, it happens.

Just the other day at the doctor’s office, an older lady was watching Eva play while we waited to be called back for flu shots, while she waited for her husband to come out.

Eva toddled about the waiting room with a toy in her hand, greeting everyone she saw with a “Dah!” and soaking up the smiles she got in return. She was wearing a hot pink turtleneck with brown stripes, brown leggings, and hot pink shoes.

When the woman’s husband came out, he too gave Eva a big smile. “He’s cute,” he commented to his wife.

“He’s nimble, too!” she noted. (Okay, so now I have 2 goals for when I'm old and gray-- the second being never to use the word "nimble.")

“Yeah, he is,” the old man agreed. “Why, I think his knees are even better than ours!”

Internally I was growling, “That sweet little girl is no HE!!!”

I'm not being harsh. I know they were just a sweet elderly couple admiring my little boy girl. I just don't get it.  

It’s happened with Ellie, as well. When she was 2, she was a cowgirl for Halloween. It was something like this:

 

And this: 

So I think the pictures speak for themselves, right? And yet, when I took her out trick-or-treating, sure enough-- an old man came to the door, and said, "Well look at you young man, what a fine cowboy!"

Ellie didn't care, she was focused on the candy being placed into her bag.

But come on, old people! That child was clearly a cow GIRL.

So, when I'm old and I start mistaking children'' genders, please pull me aside and give me a talking-to. 'Kay??

In other news, I was driving down the highway in my sweet new ride, when I spotted this dude on one of those sporty motorcycles zooming along. I was watching him try to pass cars, when all the sudden he popped a WHEELIE and revved passed EVERYONE!

And I? What did I do? I yelled "Wooooo! That was AWESOME!!!" and I would have clapped except remember, I was driving and that requires 2 hands.

But I'm quite sure any old people who saw would have shaken their heads and cursed "today's youth."

I'll never get old. At least in my heart. 'Cause wheelies will always be awesome.