A Pink Penguin Tree

Last year I mentioned to my sweet friend, Kelly, that I thought it would be fun to have a pink tree for Emma's room. I was really touched when she found one on clearance at the after Christmas sales and bought it for me! I've now had eleven months to dream about that little pink tree and make grandiose plans for its big debut this season. A pale pink tree in a little girl's room is deserving of all things feminine, fanciful, and heavenly. I've debated between angels with feathered wings or snowflakes with delicate dustings of glitter. I wanted a theme for the tree. Something sweet and so delicate it would be ethereal.

So....

We unpack the tree and I begin to proudly fluff the pastel branches and expound with my two year old on the magnificent thematic possibilities a pink tree possesses. Her response was as immediate as it was deliberate. She has no hesitation or doubts about a theme for her tree.

Penguins.

It was as if, with one single vocabulary word, she set out to dash my dreams of holiday harmony in her bedroom. I proceeded to ask her, in numerous ways, about the theme for her tree. Using my best legal tactics, I was certain to use as many leading questions as possible. "Won't it be fun to put angels all over the tree? Wouldn't you just love some flouncy, flirty snowflakes? That sparkle real pretty??"

Nope. Penguins. It is a thorn in my decorating flesh.

Some may wonder why I have taken issue with a two foot tree intended for a toddler, and may question why I don't allow her the creativity to fix it up any way she wants so she can be very proud of it and enjoy it in her very own room. But those people obviously don't know me.

I dutifully set out for the ornament isle at the Walmarts where I passed up untold numbers of baubles ranking rather high on the precious scale in favor of this...

I've done as I was told. Please notice how he is neither pink nor precious. Nor glittery. Nor feathery. Because I'm never content to loose a battle completely, I also brought home a box of these...

...but I'm not entirely certain they will make the cut. The tree is our project for today after nap time. I'll be sure and let you know how it all goes down. One thing is for certain, neither one of us is heading into this showdown without our opinions. It's the pinks vs. the penguins. Game on!