Notice anything in these photos of Little Miss? Yeah, I know. But it’s not what you think. She is not developing early. No way. My girls drink only organic, hormone-free milk and we try to stay away from any products with parabens in them. (They’re said to be endocrine disruptors and may display estrogenic activity.) I’m a little psycho that way and will do anything to stave off puberty for the sake of us all. So no, it’s not that.
Little Miss is obsessed with Ariel (the mermaid), and because Ariel wears a bikini top, Little Miss wears a bikini top, all day, every day, all night, underneath all of her clothes and pajamas. Seriously, the only time it’s off is bathtime. And then it goes immediately back on. This has been going on for months.
You can see it in all her pictures, even when she got all dressed up to sit on Santa’s lap. ”Dang! Her bikini strap is showing!” I noticed while looking at the pictures later. Her favorite bikini top is one that happens to be particularly lumpy, which is why she looks a little um, busty, sometimes. I forget all about it until I notice some of the quizzical stares we get when we’re in public.
I’m sure this phase will pass soon. But until then, I’m going to let her be Ariel. At least it’s not Barbie. Or worse.