Dirty, Rotten Kid

There is one in every group. We have one here at our house. She stands apart from the other three. She's the dirty one.

You see, I have three very different children. I have the strong willed, sassy, outgoing first born. Then, of course, there is the sweet and cuddly baby of the litter. And last but not least, there is the middle child. She is what I would call a loner. Everything happens on her terms. Although she likes to please authority, she's not too worried about the opinions of her peers. This girl loves animals and being outside. She is definitely a tom boy. She could care less about her appearance, and that is often apparent.

I can take all three children to the same places and have them participate in the same activities. Yet, she is the dirty one. This has been true of her for her whole little life. It is like her body contains a magnet that somehow attracts dirt. Her face, more often than not, looks like she has been sucking on a sow. At least that what my husband would say.

Bless her heart, and mine for that matter. I truly try to dress her up and make her presentable. Nonetheless, she eventually looks somewhat disheveled. I'm constantly wiping her face and smoothing her hair to no avail. Try as I might, it is all in vain. She still continues to put her shoes on the wrong feet and forgets to brush her hair. I've resigned myself to the fact that her beautiful red hair and petite little features will just always be touched up with a little grime.

God love her. She just wants to play outside where she is free to dig in the dirt and waller with the animals. So, most of the time, I just give in and let her go. I see a little bit of myself in that free imaginative spirit. But for the life of me, I don't know where she got the dirt magnet!

Sincerely,

Dirt Girl's Mom