Ethan's One Cute Little Girl!

Yesterday, Ethan and I took a trip to Trader Joe's for some groceries. It's fun grocery shopping with Ethan now because he's finally big enough to sit in the actual cart. He flops to the side sometimes, but I usually put a blanket around him to prop him up. Ethan, of course, is just thrilled to be looking around at all the people and exotic items around him. It's fun to see his face.

Well, during our shopping trip yesterday, we were in the frozen food aisle and there was a little boy who clearly liked babies. I wasn't paying attention but apparently, he was really trying to get a good look at Ethan. When I realized the mother was talking about us, I turned around and she said, "He really wants to see the baby." Obviously, I have no problem showing the little man off, so I turned the cart around and said, "Here he is." The little boy got a sheepish smile and said, "Awwwww" and his mother said, "Oh, it's a little girl." Girl? Huh? I decided not to correct her because a) clearly she was very nice and well-meaning and I didn't want to embarrass her and b) I just wanted to finish shopping and didn't feel like making conversation. But then I coudln't help thinking, did I put him in a girly outfit? Is red girly? He had a shirt on underneath for the layered look, and he had on his dark blue helmet. I mean, come on. There was also the blue blanket he had wrapped around him, the one that says Ethan Becht on it, but I'll just assume she didn't see that one.

What do you think? Do I need to start dressing Ethan up in suits and ties? Work boots and flannels? Teach him to spit and scratch himself in public and leave the toilet seat up? I don't think so.

You see, Ethan's a pretty secure kid. And he doesn't like being stuck in these societal gender roles. He has blue and pink pacifiers. He likes to read Olivia and Where the Wild Things Are. He's just as content in his navy blue "I like to build" outfit as he is in his yellow ducky footy pajamas. He's just an individual! And he says if wearing a red shirt that says "Inspired" is girly, then so be it. As long as it's still easy to drool on, he doesn't care.