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My Princess Boy at Disney on Ice Princess Wishes

I think I’ve mentioned before that Dude #3 is very in touch with his feminine side.

That’s the PC way of saying that sometimes he really just wants to be a girl.

And, I don’t mean he carries my purse around while he wears my heels (he does that stuff too).  But, I mean he really, really, really wants to be a girl. 

He asks me to buy him dresses.  Or “pitty princess” shoes.  Or fix his hair like a girl and paint his nails and give him “wipstick” for his “wips”.  Glittery, pink wipstick.

And, he wants to have a “pincess-girl” name and “be a girl wif no pee-pee” when he grows up.

Let me just put this out there right now: I’m totally cool with this. 

Not because I want him to be a girl (okay, I did want him to be a girl, but only before he actually was born), but for obvious reasons that I’m going to just quickly put down here in case they aren’t super obvious to you (or you are Dumb Dad who loses his mind every time the kid asks to wear a tutu):

  1. He’s 3.  Only just barely turned, so the whole I-have-a-pee-pee-why-don’t-you bit is still extremely fascinating for him.  Just like “super wong wike daddy” underarm hair which he swears he will never get.
  2. He is a boy.  He mostly always likes being a boy and will tell you he’s a boy like 88% of the time.  Sometimes he just gets jealous of the glittery pink girl stuff that we don’t have in abundance at Casa de Dummies.  His I-wanna-be-a-girl sentiments are usually strongest after we’ve played at one of our girl friend’s houses.  Or on Tuesday mornings when he watches Olivia.
  3. I don’t care.  Really.  If my kid grows up to be a cross dressing tranny what am I even gonna do about it?  Disown him?  Not a chance.  I don’t want him to grow up and be a cross dressing tranny.  As much as I enjoy the company of cross dressing trannies (seriously, they are SO much fun), I don’t want my kids to have any sort of nontraditional lifestyle that will garner them negative attention from various factions of American society.  Not because I’m not okay with it, just because I don’t want them to be tormented or ostracized for any reason.  It’s painful to experience and painful to watch and I don’t want that for them.  But, if he’s gonna be a cross dressing tranny, then he just is and this mama is gonna love her baby even if his bajongas are bigger and better than mine.

So there.

Knowing all of this, it’s crazy to hear then that when Feld Entertainment, the producers of Disney on Ice Princess Wishes, contacted me about going to check out their show in Baltimore a couple of weeks ago, I initially declined.

I was just thinking of the older Dudes who would not be caught smiling at an ice skating show with the word princess in the title, while forgetting about my sometimes princess-boy who is a cr0ss dressing sympathizer… 

And then I remembered. 

How he LOVES Ariel.  And, Snow White.  And, Fiona (who’s not Disney but still a princess in all of her funky green glory).

And I decided to dress him up in his nicest PRINCE inspired outfit (it was a button up shirt and dress shoes after I wrangled him out of his snow boots and tutu) and headed out to the show.

I’m just so glad we went!

It wasn’t overly princess-y (even though in the pre-party princess meet and greet #3 was the only male child in attendance until some late stragglers showed up with their two sons) unless you count the multitude of princess dresses in the audience.

It was entertaining and fun.  The set was creative and beautiful and I got a good laugh when Ariel busted her rump on the ice.

And, the Dude loved it!

Plus, you really can’t have a princess without a prince so there were plenty of elements any everyday boy would enjoy: Aladdin and his lamp, Beast and his, um, beastiness, Ariel and her Sebastian, dragon slaying princes, funny faced dwarves, evil villains all of that stuff to keep your little prince or princess entertained.

And, when we got home he climbed into bed with his Mickey crown and his program from the show and he proceeded to carry the two items around for the next four days straight, wearing the crown while flipping through the program book reminiscing by questioning me incessantly about the experience.

So, I’m glad we went, even if he does decide to play burlesque Cinderella in a dive bar in West Virginia when he’s 25 it was totally worth it!

Want to catch the show in your hometown?

See if it’s coming here: Disney on Ice Princess Wishes schedule.

Have photos to share this week on Wordful Wednesday with Angie and I?! Link away…



Comments

  2. I thought I’d share a recent Disney experience with you, since its along the same lines.

    A couple of weeks ago, my nine year old and I were wandering through Downtown Disney (a shopping/dining location at the Walt Disney Resort here in Orlando). My son took notice of the “Bibbity Bobbity Boutique”, a salon at which little girls can be made up as a Disney Princess, complete with having their hair styled, a little makeup applied, and a princess costume (your choice of Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Ariel, or Tiana).

    So he turns to me and says “I want to go there so I can be Prince Charming.” I thought this was funny, actually, but I do admit my son has always been “dapper”. He doesn’t like to wear t-shirts, preferring button-ups or collared pull-overs. He combs his hair to a precise part and shines his shoes. All at nine years old and without any prompting.

    So we go in, and we find out that while little girls get all dolled up as Disney Princesses, all a little boy can expect was getting their hair combed, and they got some toys (a shield and “knightly breastplate”), and that’s all.

    The boys, as Jared noted, didn’t get to dress up as Prince Charming, nor were they treated as “special” (his words) as the little girls were.

    I was informed by one of the salon attendants that if we were going into the Magic Kingdom, we could visit the Pirate’s League in Adventureland, where all little boys could be dressed up as pirates, wasn’t that exciting?

    “No,” my son responded flatly. “Who wants to be a dirty pirate. They’re bad guys. They steal things and kill people. I want to be Prince Charming, ’cause he’s a hero.”

    No luck. Apparently Disney doesn’t even make a Prince Charming costume.

    It was this point that my nine year old announced, at the top of his lungs, that Disney hated little boys and was unfair to them, because if they did they wouldn’t make little boys dress up like bad guys.

    Again, this was a nine year old boy making this observation.

    So feel lucky your little boy wants to be a Disney Princess. He’d be out of luck if he wanted to be a Disney Prince.

  3. I love you! My 2-year-old son just got really into shiny pink Dusney princess shoes and I’ve been having a difficult time with it. Not with what it might “mean” or anything, but with what people think of me as a parent. It’s ridiculous. You rock. And I’m so glad you were on WNTW so that I could find you.

  4. My nieces two year old would love that! He is one of the most beautiful boys I have seen (and I do mean beautiful) who makes a bee-line for the lipstick and mirror he knows I keep in my handbag (much to his dad’s absolute horror)
    From my experience in psych it generally means absolutley nothing apart from the fact that the boys’ feel confident enough to explore these things- good parenting DM!

  5. um… i haven’t had time to read the other comments on this Princess Boy post, but after the first couple paragraphs i have to say… you threw me with the mention of “having a pee pee” and “daddy’s super wong” in the same sentence.

    :-)

  6. You are awesome! So many moms would flip their lids over a natural curiosity.

    Also, don’t laugh at poor Ariel. You gotta give her credit for overcoming lack of legs and still getting out there on the ice! YOU try skating with fins! ;-)

  8. I love it!! We just moved and I found my old box of Barbies and My Little Pony ponies. 2 yr. old son has been in Heaven playing with Ken, the Ponies, and then his “guy” side takes over. Ken loses his head, ponies are run over by the endless cars and trains, and I just smile seeing his imagination soar!

  9. kids are kids…I totally agree with everything you said…my daughter will play light sabers and dress like wolverine and the boys will play house and take turns being the mommy…
    and really? he’s 3…
    and girl stuff really is way cuter…

  10. I totally agree with you because we’re cool like that and our kids are so lucky to have such cool moms like us. Your son can wear the hell out of a pink tutu and my girls love themselves some camouflage. ;-)

  14. I am glad that you don’t freak about gender stereotypes at your place, but I had always thought that if I had boys I could dodge ice shows.
    Crap.

  17. you are AWESOME. and i love that you embrace your son and his likeness of all things pink. there is nothing wrong with boys and pink. he is lucky to get to see disney ice princesses and even luckier to have you. so very cool!!

  19. I totally agree!!! I actually did take my 22 month old son to see Disney Princesses on Ice last year with a few of my neighbors. I see nothing wrong it. Or with a little boy wanting to play dress up and put on makeup. They are still too little to really understand. Even if they do grow up to be cross dressers or gay, I could care less. My son is my son and I will love him regardless.
    Great post!!!

  23. Is it wrong that I think he’s really pretty as a girl?

    ps My son Teddy wanted to be a “pwetty pwincess” for the LONGEST time. I let him wear my dauhters’ dress-up clothes when he wanted, he carried a purse and a babydoll and today…. he’s my son that makes a gun out of EVERYTHING and wants to be a soldier.

  27. How cute! I’m glad he enjoyed the show!

    My son went through the I-wanna-be-a-girl phase, too. Having an older sister, I think he just wanted to be like her. The husband HATED it, but I thought it was cute!

  28. I think its great. And at 3 they don’t really know the difference between girl stuff and boy stuff anyway. Besides, the girly stuff is sparkly and pretty and does have a special appeal that would pull any 3 year old in.

  32. Just watch – he’ll grow up to be quite the ladies man. Women will LOVE that he’s in touch with his feminine side. I’m just sayin’. And maybe we should get him and Princess Nagger together – she could bring out his masculine side with all her dinosaurs and sword fights, and he could bring out her pretty pink princess side. ;)

  33. Are you there? Are you still breathing? Just hang on while I call 911?
    Cause if your husband is anything like mine…you’ve been shot for dressing his son like a pansy. ( I think he looks sweet :) and have secretly wanted to do the same..shhhhh)

  35. Both my boys, although usually “all boy”, have always had a fascination with nail polish and when my youngest was 4, he insisted on a Dora the Explorer birthday cake.
    Love that tutu!

  39. I love this! I’m so glad we had a daughter first because my little guy LOVES all of her girly clothes and accessories. I just wouldn’t have thought to have that stuff around unless it just WAS around.

    Way to go Momma!

  41. The way you tell a story is priceless. There are so many families that won’t let their boys play with dolls or dress up. I love that you do! I would too :) Have a great Wednesday!

  42. You are definitely a smart mom on this one.

    My youngest keeps saying she’s a boy. Okay, whatever. You are two, so if you think you are a boy, fine by me!

    He looks cute and handsome in both outfits..they are just clothes.

    (And, I totally get the being okay, but wanting him to be within social norms so he isn’t ostracized or has a hard life.)

  43. My three year old is the EXACT same way, he is always in his sister’s dress up clothes but my husband would probably be filing for divorce if I posted the pictures on the blog. He makes such a cute princess though, just like your little guy.

  47. Oh my gosh!! My 4 yr old son is the same way! I was just telling my sister earlier that I really hoped he wasnt gay. Not that I would have anything against it – I just want his life to be easy and torment free. But anyways – he’s always asking for pink clothes and girl shoes. We even gave him a Dora birthday party because he loves her so much. He’s always trying to wear my makeup, and if I paint my toes then he wants his done too! I think our boys would have lovely tea parties together… lol

  52. I love every single thing about this post. Your feelings about your son’s possible potential cross-dressing are identical to mine.
    Andrew used to have a very strong girly side. He has mostly outgrown it. But when he was younger he would steal my girls’ makeup and hair stuff and get all prettied up. We used to joke that he’d be a cross-dressing klepto, and imagine that in his mug shot he’d be dressed in drag. Just proof of our stellar parenting.
    Anyhoo….I’m so glad he enjoyed himself and that you are such an awesome mom to take him.

  56. I miss the days when my little boy wanted to be Dora when he grew up and loved having his nails painted and fighting with the other little boys at daycare over who got to dress up as Snow White.

    Your princess boy is too dang cute in his crown with his curls — he’s born for royalty (whether it comes from Ms Drag America or not)!

  58. I got really confused when I read “Dumb Dad” and “super wong” in the same sentence. So I reread it. And reread it again. And yeah. Now I’ve got it. *snaps fingers, shoots cute finger gun at you with accompanying ‘tsk’ and wink*

  60. I have a 4 year old great-nephew who is exactly the same way. Fortunately, his Mom is cool about it too, but it is heart-breaking to see what a hard time the other neighborhood kids are giving him. Kids can be so rotten!

  61. Oh that’s too cute! And pretty much all of my friends who have boys have said the same thing – that they’ve gone through that stage where they love everything pink and sparkly. ;)

    I’d love to take my girls to this, but the older two have outgrown princesses already, even at 8 and 10. My 5-year-old would be totally into it though. :)

  64. That princess picture might come back to haunt him later but I think it is awesome. My four year old son loves Aerial too and was so excited to get a purple heart ring off a cupcake from a school birthday party. I just smiled and said I thought it was a great ring too! :)

  66. They are a lot of fun! ;P So glad you took him to the show and that you are so accepting of it all. All part of your awesome. :)

  68. You are such a great mom! How awesome that you one not only feel the way you do about this, but two put it out there. He does make a pretty beautiful ballerina! Glad you had fun!

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