I just saw this picture over at Two Ellie who found it at August Love.  At first, it made me seriously giggle and then I stopped and had a good look and it made me think.  I used to not really care for photos styled in this fashion.  Dressing little kids up in an adult look.   But now I’m actually quite fond of these styles because I find the photos to be really telling.  What it tells depends upon the viewer, of course.  It might tell you something entirely different than it tells me.

I see myself in this picture.  A little girl looking quite sophisticated.  She’s not really trying to play dress up.  She is dressing herself in what she thinks she ought to wear.  What’s acceptable these days.  What she thinks is stylish…her own interpretation.  What she feels will give her her own personality and what portrays her current mood.  Take away the stylish shades, the ruffles, the layers of statement jewelry and the lady hat and what have you got?  A little girl in sandals at the beach.

Don’t you ever just feel like that?  That underneath the highlights, the designer jeans, newest bag, shiniest lip gloss, and even the toddler on your hip that you are just a little girl?  And if you strip yourself from all of the things you have and all of the things you “do” you are still the same you.  The you, you once were at age 6.

I’m about to turn 32 and I still haven’t quite figured myself out yet (although society says we should be confident, comfortable in our own skin and be our true selves in our 30’s… I’m thinking this happens more at 35 and beyond, at least that’s what I’m hoping for).  I’m still figuring things out.  I’m still wondering how I got from here to there and exactly where I’m going next.

It’s good to look back at being 6.  Do you remember?  You thought you could do anything.  Be anything. Anything you wanted to be, of course (for me it was an actress and business person).  The world was full of possibilities.  And you were to discover them all… at least all of the ones you wanted to.  No obstacles that you didn’t have a solution for and no fear of it not happening.

Here I am with my 3rd child on the way and I sometimes wonder how I myself am having children.  Life goes so fast.  But the great thing about being around children is that it reminds you of being of a child.  And all of the magic and  good things that come with it.  Only this time around you can process it, think about it and take away some gorgeous life lessons.

So here I am, a little big girl.  Dressed up in my own way and yet small and innocent underneath it all.  I don’t think this is such a bad thing.  In fact, I think it is a pretty good thing.  Keep the big and obnoxious to your sunglasses and jewelry not your personality (maybe that should be our mantra).

Here is to all the little big girls out there!