"Gee, your hair smells great."

Mom told me once about this shampoo back from the 70s that literally had this name.

This isn't the name of Gardner's new shampoo, but it should be.

I bought some of the toddler-inspired line of Huggies shampoos...and they smell amazing. Even better than the powdery baby scents that we left behind us. I can't help but to tell Gardner every time I wash and then later comb his blonde hair, or even the next day as I merely sniff his hair as I snuggle with him in our rocking chair...."Gee, your hair smells great."

I couldn't put my finger on why I like that scent so much. It was more than likely because it reminded me of a scent from my past, something from my own childhood that gave it double significance. Tonight, during bathtime, it hit me. It smells like this little bottle of pink-colored Barbie cologne that I wore as a little girl. It came in the box with one of my Barbie dolls, and I dabbed on the light scent every time I left the house. Just enough floral notes to be feminine, but still light enough to be appropriate for an 8-year-old. And as I do with almost every treasured item that I have, I used it so sparingly that it lasted more than a year.

As I realized the connection, I suddenly realized that maybe that wasn't such a good thing after all. I don't know if I'm more concerned about the fact that I can remember a scent from 20 years ago like it was yesterday (I've always had a keen sense of smell, but come on....), or the fact that my son smells like Barbie.

Comments

Anonymous said…
My confession: the staff bathroom at the YMCA has a smell that immediately brings me back to 3rd grade. I don't know what it is but EVERYTIME before I leave the gym, I quietly walk over to the staff bathroom, and sneak a smell - it makes me feel like a kid again. I can't believe I am typing this....

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