Could I be a missjan?

I remember very vividly my first shopping trip to The Limited Too. My mom will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I was in 5th grade and just hip-py enough that my brothers' hand me down jeans were no longer going to hack it. So, off the the mall we went - my mom, dad and me.

We were fooled by marketing ploys at their strongest, and didn't realize that the sale sign not only read '$9.99' but also had little letters below stating 'and up'. I remember my mom getting to the cash register and being stunned by some of the 'sale' prices, but unable to break my heart and tell me I couldn't have the clothes we had just gone googoo over.

I remember a peach dress, some pants, and I remember 2 short sleeved, turtleneck...well, onesies actually. (forgive the 90's, they knew not what they did)

I wore one of my 'onesies' (this has just ruined my entire blog for me, by the way) to church the following Sunday. It was blue and white striped and form fitted. I walked up to where my mom and jan were standing, overheard my mom telling jan of our shopping woes, when jan stopped conversation and shouted "OH MY GOSH AMANDA YOU HAVE CURVES!"

I was 10 years old, just starting puberty, and was equally elated and mortified by her declaration. But the elation won out and I remember quickly bolting into the bathroom to check out my curves.

Yesterday Brittany texted me throughout her back to school shopping excursion. I wished I was there to help console and enjoy. It was a mixed day. But in the end Brittany was able to save the day, like any good mom to a tween girl, and found some awesome clothes. She sent me pictures to which I ooed and ahhed until I saw that one.

The blue shirt.

The one that showed me that BB has curves. She looks more like a woman than a girl. And I shrieked.

I don't know yet if my shriek was excitement or heartbreak, but I've narrowed it down to one of the two. BB. Has curves? No.

Then I realized what it was like to be on the other end of my interchange with Jan 17 years ago. And I can only hope that BB was as excited by my disbelief over her beautiful figure as I was by Jan's.

I just still can't accept it.


- manda