Anna's new Pants

A couple days ago Anna started screaming like a banshee and chasing Rachel around with a marker. Rachel's shirt was a casualty. When I grabbed the marker Anna collapsed on the ground sobbing her little heart out. When her body wrenching sobs calmed to a mere occasional hiccup I finally could make out what she was saying. "Rachel drew on my favorite pants with permanent marker", she cried," now I'll never look beautiful again". The sobbing started all over again with this last realization. "Oh my" I said, eyes rolling. "Lets take a look it." There was in fact a long black line drawn down Anna's pants. I tried rinsing it out and even using some of the magical oxy stuff. Nothing changed - the same ugly black line still ran down the pant leg - not even a little bit lighter. The sobbing started again. I felt sorry for her - her heart was truly broken.

But then I got a bright idea. "Hey we just barely bought those pants- maybe they still have some left, we could get another pair." Anna brightened and I logged onto The childrensplace. com. Clicked on the clearance link (only place I shop on sites such as this). The pants were no longer there. "Are there any other pants you want", I tried- hoping but not really expecting. "No there will never be any other pants I like - ever" she sobbed. 7 is kinda young for this kind of drama I was thinking - pms couldn't have possibly come into play yet - could it. "Well how about these" I said clicking on a pair. She finally raised her head off the ground enough to look at the computer. "No" head went back down. "I like these" bringing another pair up on the screen. She looked up and shook her head - but kept looking. All of a sudden she brightened. "These", she said pointing, "I'll have those". "But they are ugly" I replied don't you want cute ones. She got defensive, "I like them" I knew the battle was over. It was those pants or no pants - and even ugly pants are better than having her go to school in her underwear. (Especially when she wears the underwear her newly potty trained, hasn't mastered wiping yet, little sister sometimes borrows) So luckily the ugly pants were only $4 so I agreed. As soon as I added them to the cart her whole demeanor changed and she started pointing out other things she would also like to have. When all was said and done Rachel's little art project got Anna 3 new shirts and 3 new pairs of pants. I was ok with it since they were all off the clearance page and cost me less than $20 all together. It is not like she really needed the clothes - she actually has a lot - but my motto has always been "more clothes they own- less laundry I do".

So the order came today. I was pleasantly surprised. The web page did nothing for ugly pants - they are much cuter in person than in a picture. Or maybe it's just Anna that made them look cute. They are still far from my favorite - but she loves them. I am fairly certain those are the same pants Jan Brady wore to a party on one of the earlier episodes - or maybe it was Bobby Brady. Anyway what do you think of Anna's new pants.