It would be nice if Cinderella wore jeans once in awhile.

Overheard this morning: (The brief version.)

"Mommy, can I wear a beautiful skirt today?" (She wears a skirt everyday.)

"I'd really like you to wear jeans today. Your sister is wearing jeans. I think you need to wear jeans today."

"I don't want to wear jeans!" (Arms crossed emphatically.)

"I think it would be good for you to wear jeans once in a while."

"I'm a princess and princesses don't wear jeans!" (Fists thrown down to sides.)

"Princesses wear jeans sometimes."

"No they don't!"

"They do when they play. Look at these jeans, they have hearts on them."

"They have bones on them and I don't like bones!"

"Those are arrows that go with the hearts. They stand for love."

"I don't like arrows!"

"Sweetheart you need to wear jeans because you need to learn to appreciate the things you have."

"Princesses don't wear jeans!" (Through tears.)

"Sometimes they do wear jeans"

"Cinderella, Belle, and Snow White don't wear jeans!"

"Sweetheart, those princesses aren't really real, they are just a story."

"They live in a real castle! They are real!"

"They are just a story, but God is real and he is the true King...and because you are his child that makes you a true princess."

"Is God a girl?" (I almost have her jeans on her now.)

"No. God is a man..? ..a boy..?... a male."

"Princesses are real!" (A final emphatic word of defiance.)

(Silence.)

"Mom will you tickle me?"