When we found out we were having a girl, Randy the perfekt husband proclaimed:

 “I don’t want to get her anything that’s pink!” 

See, he wanted his girl to grow up strong and tough like Linda Hamilton in T2 and not be forced into the stereotypical corner of Barbie/My Little Pony/Disney Princess girlydom. I thought he was being a little extreme, but since he was the father, I felt I had to respect his wishes. Naturally this has since changed as I have learned better, but back then I told everyone who was buying us gifts for the baby shower to steer away from pink. And Randy very specifically picked out gender-neutral clothing to bring her home from the hospital. She wore a white footie thing and a deep purple hat from Baby Naartjie. She looked like a boy Eskimo.

Well, I continued to work hard at respecting Randy’s wishes. I even bought her one of those nightmarish educational mobiles that’s black, white and red instead of the cute, pastel teddy bear one I had my eye on.

Know what happened?

The minute Julia was cognizant she began gravitating to, you guessed it, PINK! Stuffed animals, clothes, hot dogs. If it was pink, she wanted to grab it. If it was PINK AND SPARKLY, she wanted it MORE!

Today, I think it’s safe to say that there isn’t a girlier girl around. Randy has long since given up the fight. He even went to 5 different stores to find that iPod in HOT PINK for her last birthday.

And me, I’ve come to believe that while environment plays a certain part in who a kid becomes, basically they are who they are the second they pop out from between your legs (or in my case, my lower belly). Penchant for pink and all! 

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE? IS IT NATURE OR NURTURE THAT DETERMINES WHO OUR KIDS BECOME?