My Matching Days are Over

Throughout their lives, I've tried not to overdo "matching outfits" for my daughters. Sometimes, though, I just couldn't help it. Professional portraits always called for matching outfits. It just looks better that way (in my opinion). Christmas always meant matching dresses.... such beautiful pictures. Halloween was a no-brainer: Go with a theme so no one fought. At the tender age of five, my daughters have decided they don't always want to match.
In hindsight, it all began two years ago. As we prepared for preschool, I took them shopping for backpacks. There were several designs. As each girl picked, I made sure to tell the next sister that she could pick the same thing. There, in the back pack aisle, I swear all four girls rolled their eyes at me (and they weren't even three years old!) Their expressions seemed to say "We CAN'T have the same backpack!" Now, as we approach Halloween, not a single one of them has requested the same outfit... not even a theme! (If you'll recall, I will be walking the neighborhood with Sleeping Beauty, Tinkerbell, Minnie Mouse and a ballerina). Over the weekend I let the girls go online and pick out their Christmas dresses (coupons and free shipping made it the perfect time to look). I took each of them into the living room one at a time, sat them down in front of the computer and let them look at their choices. My only rule? No short sleeves. They all picked really cute dresses and none of them chose an identical dress.
Don't get me wrong. I truly don't mind that they aren't picking the same things. When my daughters started preschool I made it a rule that they can't wear matching outfits. I want them to be seen as individuals, rather than "The Quads." (OK, on school picture day I still dress them alike because the photographer does a family group shot if siblings attend the school. One day out of the year won't lead to an identity crisis). So while my holiday pictures will no longer include matching dresses or costumes (well, not this year. Who knows what they'll pick next year), at least my daughters are starting to express what they like... even if their sisters have a different opinion.

The Changing of the Seasons

The changing of the seasons is a difficult time for me. Sure, I dislike cold weather and am sad to see the days grow shorter. But my biggest problem is figuring out how to dress my daughters.
We live in a desert climate so it can be practically freezing in the morning and nearly 80 by noon. OK, that might be a slight exaggeration, but you see my point. Layering is the most practical way to dress this time of year, but it's a concept that is easily lost on 4-year-olds.
When in doubt I always have my girls wear a jacket to school. In fact last year there was one morning that I was stripping the coats off of them by the time we arrived to school because it was warmer than I thought. Other days I have sent them in long sleeves and pants... and immediately changed them into shorts and t-shirts when they came home.
The problem with always sending my daughters with a jacket is that they aren't always able to judge when they don't need the jacket. If they wore it to school they must need it at recess and on the way home, right? The teacher has 16 kids to worry about so she can't spend her day figuring out who is overheating and who truly needs a coat. On a purely selfish note: that's a lot of laundry if I have to put them in more than one outfit each day!
So, as much as it pains me to say this: bring on winter. At least then I won't have to spend the day questioning what they're wearing!