The Year of Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift was named Entertainer of the Year at the Country Music Awards last week and that pretty much said it all.  She truly is the Entertainer of the Year. 

She is the face of country music. She is the face of pop music.  Best of all, she is the face of teen celebrity and that is a sigh of relief for many moms of young girls right now.  She is a great role model.   She is a talented artist who writes her own music, plays the guitar, and sings.  (She doesn’t just dance and lip sync around the stage in tight clothes.) She twitters and really appreciates her young fans.   She likes her parents and has a great relationship with her mom who is always with her at press events and appearances.  She is not drinking underage or hanging out all night at dance clubs.  She  also showed us that she has a wicked sense of humor with this fun opening monologue on Saturday Night Live.

I opened the mailbox today to find her staring at me (in 3-D!) as the cover girl on InStyle Magazine.  She looks gorgeous and glamorous and, might I add, age appropriate.  I especially love that she is super tall (5’11″) and has curly hair (“I love it when girls rock curly hair!” she says in InStyle)  just like my baby girl Annabel.  The article confirms again that she doesn’t drink or smoke and that her answers to questions “come out in long, perfectly formed sentences mostly free of ‘ums,’ ‘likes,’ or slang.”  I pray she understands how important it is to be a great role model.  I hope she remains untainted by all her fame and fortune.

Taylor will also make an appearance in the new romantic comedy “Valentine’s Day” which opens nationwide February 12th. It’s from the director of “Pretty Woman” and stars a megawatt cast of A-listers including Julia Roberts, Patrick Dempsey, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Anne Hathaway, Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Alba, and Jessica Biel.  But the only buzz I’ve read about this movie so far is that Taylor Swift kisses that boy from the “Twilight” movie. (!) 

This truly is the Year of Taylor Swift.,

Ballerina Girl

Annabel is turning into quite the little princess.  And, oh, how I love it so.

20 months

Annabel is 20 months old today.  We’ve been calling her “Tummy Girl” because of this book we checked out of the library.  It really describes her perfectly.  She is a tummy full of smiles and laughter.  She is a social butterfly who loves to run up to another child playing in the park.  She is going to force me to break out of my introverted shell and and I love that about her.  She overflows with curiosity and excitement for life.  She gets frustrated, but it doesn’t last long.  She’ll feel better once she is picked up, hugged, and cuddled.  I can’t wait until she can really talk and express her feelings.  Right now she loves to say “No!”  (Even when she means “Yes!”) It’s the cutest, sweetest, high-pitched “No.”  Even her “No’s” are happy.   We love you “Tummy Girl.”

Hairdo

Annabel actually let me put a barrette in her hair today!  I had to mark the date.  I hope she lets me do it again. 

It just looks so cute with her curls

Girl Power

I’m adding this to my list of reasons why raising a daughter to have great self esteem and great body image in today’s society is SO important.

This toddler girl T-shirt was featured on the front page of ParentDish today:

The creator of this tot nipple tassel T-shirt is trying to be “ironic.”  But are people actually buying these shirts for their little girls because they think it’s cute or funny? There are so many young girls who try to dress ”sexy” because they think it’s “cool” or because they want to look like one of their pop idols. (Yes, I’m looking at you pole dancing Miley Cyrus).

So do we really need to start this madness at 2 years old?  Why even throw something like this T-shirt out into the world even if you are just trying to prove a point about society?  Most people probably won’t get it.

On a positive note, back in 2005, this T-shirt was pulled from the shelves of popular teen retailer Abercrombie & Fitch after a group of teen girls organized a boycott against them.

Thank goodness, right? There were a bunch of other really offensive versions as well. 

And don’t even get me started about the terrifying reality show, Toddlers & Tiaras.  I caught a few minutes of it on TLC the other day and was horrified by the parade of  innocent little girls on display.  They were flaunting big hair weaves, fake nails, fake eyelashes, tons of spray tan, adult makeup, and expensive designer dresses.  They also wore bikinis! These toddler girls are basically being taught that being pretty, smiley, and polite will get you money and a sparkly crown.  It really is disturbing.  I heart you, TLC, but this show has GOT TO GO. 

Then, there is Tyra Banks.  She has always created publicity for her talk show by doing something extreme which also seems to promote a healthy self image message to teen girls.   A couple years ago, Tyra started a “So What?” campaign to empower young girls.  During one show, her entire audience of young women, and Tyra included, wore red bathing suits with their weight printed on their chests.  For this year’s The Tyra Banks Show season premiere on September 8th, Tyra is going to reveal to the world her natural hair by taking out her weave on national television. She wants to encourage women to “own and rock what they’ve got and be proud.” Crazy publicity stunt?  Sure.  But if her target audience of teen girls gets the message that being strong, fearless, and comfortable in your own skin is important, then props to her.

We need more of that.

Dedication

This is my very first entry on PopMommy.com. I dedicate this website to my hubbie and two kiddies.

Baby:  You rock my world.  The End.  (And THANK YOU for creating this website for me for Mother’s Day - you are the best!)

Daniel:  You literally changed my life.  Once you were born, nothing was ever the same again and I thank you for that.  You are mischievous, so incredibly smart, and you keep me on my toes.  You are passionate about everything in life.  I love your sense of humor, your funny faces, your long pale legs, and when you sing in the car.  You taught me how to slow down and enjoy the moments.  Even though now, at 2 ½, you move pretty darn fast.

 Annabel:  When you were born I held you in my arms and thanked God for you.  I could not believe I had a girl.  We instantly bonded.  I call you my BFF.  You are sweet and strong and your laugh is the most amazing thing I have ever heard.  I love when you are coy and scrunch up your nose.  You have the most beautiful head of curls.  Thank you for making our family complete.

And thank you, Mark, Daniel and Annabel, for making me a wife and mom.