Thursday, September 1, 2011

Sadie and the Veil


I bought this veil for Sadie years ago (I think it was when I was pregnant with Mae) and she discovered it, still in it's box, while we were moving.  Yesterday I let her see it for a few minutes before putting it away, into the basket I've designated for headcoverings.  Cuteness ensued.


After downloading the pictures however, I had to pause... a headcovering post... what kind of insanity would follow (maybe I'm a little gun-shy after the last headcovering series post/incident, which ended with a blog post on another site that twisted my words.... with people saying they were going to come over to my blog to "draw blood..." although no one actually did...)?

Am I really up for the insanity at this point (it has been a rather tough month...) all because I posted a few cute pictures of my kid in a chapel veil?  Do I feel like I could charitably field questions from people who apparently have never been around a toddler girl for any extended period of time?  Questions that, despite being typed, have a certain tone:


Why do you force your daughter to wear that?  Do you force her to wear dresses too? and that sort of thing.


Then I thought: Maybe I'll just answer those questions in advance.  Nip it in the bud, so to speak.

Here goes:

This is my three year old daughter.  She found this veil, which I bought her a couple of years ago, and hadn't planned on giving to her for a few more years (maybe around her first communion?) in a box when we were moving.  It was love at first sight.  Mommy has veils.  Mommy wears dresses.  She wants to be like Mommy still.  No dark ulterior motives here.  It's not a commentary on modesty in toddlers (trying not to roll my eyes...).  In our house, at this point, "modesty" for toddlers pretty much involves the occasional question of "Do ladies sit like that?" that comes up because she does insist on wearing dresses, pretty much all the time.  

And I took pictures because I'm her mom and I thought she looked pretty cute.

I hope, despite the lengthy explanation that I felt might (or might not) be necessary didn't ruin all the cuteness!  I just didn't feel up for a headcovering controversy this morning when I was posting something lighthearted!

 

And now... for a blast from the past... This is a picture of Sadie, the Veil Swiper, when the Bishop visited our little parish in Northern California. She'd stolen my veil and wore it for a little while.


I hope you've enjoyed the headcovering cuteness today!

12 comments:

  1. Your blast from the past is the first picture that The Baron had of Sadie and Paul. It was on his computer long before I even discovered your blog. It was only a few months ago that we made the connection. He tends to snatch pictures off of the internet to include in PP to help teach our conformation kids. He was doing a session on modesty at Mass when I looked up and said That's Sadie and Paul!

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  2. She's adorable. Don't let other people's comments get to you regarding how Sadie likes to dress. I had a child who pretty much refused to wear pants for a few years and no one said a word to me about it. She had pants, she just didn't want to wear them much to her pants wearing mother's dismay. Oh and she also went through a phase where she needed to accessorize all of the time, too. She was just a girly girl and none of it was being forced on her.

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  3. I think she looks beautiful! And you're absolutely right...they see mommy wear dresses, they want to wear dresses. My daughter is 6 and she would wear dresses and skirts every day, even though I don't. She loves them. I'm learning to. Mommy covers her head, why wouldn't they want to. The old adage "Monkey see, Monkey do" is true for so many things. So let the haters hate sister! I think you're setting a beautiful example for your little ones!

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  4. To address your pre-emptive response to questions about your daughter wearing a veil. I was raised in a pretty traditional Catholic-Haitian-Carribean home. Basically this means dresses, skirts to mass modest clothing at all times etc.

    If anyone asks why, well it's because you are her mother and until she is of age (which btw in my culture means until you're married, haha) you as her parent will decide in her best interest and yes you will force her if you must to dress modestly and carry herself like a woman of dignity. I am 31 years old and I don't dare walk in my parents' house with anything too far above the knee or any skinny jeans. Even now when I pick something to buy or wear I think "do I want my father to see me in this?" and if the answer is no then I put it back. THAT is why you can make your daughter wear dresses and carry herself a certain way at mass and in public because you want her to think twice about the choices she makes even as an adult.

    I mean isn't that the role of a parent? to instill your moral values into your kids so that they carry it on through adulthood? I never got this "let your child decide thing" and if God's will was for me to be a mother I would definitely be one of those mothers getting scrutinized for what I "make" my children do and wear.

    Sorry for hijacking but as you can see I am very passionate about this and this is about the 4th time this week I've had to face the reality that in this day and age parents face opposition when trying to instill values in their kids' lives. Feel free to not post...

    Prayers for you and your husband. We need more brave parents like you who are willing to stand for your values.

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  5. So cute! I wish Susi would imitate me, but I guess I am just glad that she is finally running out of donated clothes and I can go buy her some fabric to make her cute dresses again. Hooray for Labor Day Sales!

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  6. How beautiful and precious!!! Keep up the great work mamma!Lol!.....It is a shame though in our "PC", liberal, "its all about me" society that a mom who is doing a wonderful job raising her babies to love God and to love all people that she has to defend herself when she puts up pics of her precious gifts from God!!

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  7. Adorable! I always loved dressing up in anything involving veils and long skirts when I was little, pretending to be Mary, a nun, St. Therese... :). It's just a very typical "little girl" thing to do.

    Marie

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  8. Oh my gosh... there aren't words to describe the flood of adorable almost melting my computer to the core. Ha ha.

    You really have been blessed with some angelic little girls, Cam. :)

    I have a question for you (and ladies who veil). Do "headbands" count as coverings? I'm not talking about the modern things that teenagers wear to keep their hair back, but stuff put out by places like Garlands of Grace.

    ?

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  9. Thanks for all the sweet comments!

    And that's so funny about the picture Baroness!

    I think it's all a matter of what you're comfortable with Gina. I probably wouldn't feel covered enough with a headband at Mass, but I know a lot of people are and I think they're lovely (I even make them! And I keep meaning to make some with ties... as soon as we're unpacked!).

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  10. That is adorable! I love taking pictures of my little sisters in my veils. They are 5, 3, and 7 months. I have a collection of pictures of them wearing them :)

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  11. I think she looks beautiful! My daughter veils and has been for about 2-3 years (she's now 8). She, unfortunately, did not get the idea from her mother. (I plan on starting soon, but haven't yet...) She saw a woman we knew in church wearing them and asked her about hers. This kind lady had some child-sized veils that she no longer needs, so she gave them to my daughter. My daughter also wears mostly dresses, because she prefers them; again, not because of her mother. These lovely daughters are making their own choices; no one's forcing them to look and act like ladies; but it certainly wouldn't be a bad thing if we did.

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