Suri Cruise of Madrid Spain

So this may confuse anyone that does not follow People Magazine as closely as I do so I'll back up. Suri Cruise is the of celebuspawn of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, she is 5 but known the world over for her fashion forward styles and love of heels. Yes, heels, on a 5 year old. Whatever, I don't have kids of my own, god knows what I'd let them do if I did have them. Suri is also known for her lack of a jacket in situations that seem to warrant it (being out doors when chilly) and Katie Holmes gets taken to task by every moms blog out there, I personally have always felt apathetic regarding whether Suri Cruise was wearing a coat; I'm not her parent and every one has a different tolerance level to cold. I carry a sweater in August but there are people wearing sandals and tank tops in January (in place that aren't Texas, that is). Kids also tend to run around much more and move faster in general, that's got to keep them warm.

Suri Cruise with mother Katie, in only a sweater. Obviously, this child is not taken care of.

However, after 2 weeks in Madrid spent begging Carolina to put her coat on, and when I relented and let her take it of being lectured  I not only sympathize with Katie Holmes, I am her soul sister.

Good freaking lord, I could not keep a coat on that kid!And when I did get it one her it was accompanied by tears, eye rolls, and claims that it made her sweat, she was so stinkin hot and it made her look fat. She slowly trudge next to you gasping for air in the most dramatic fashion.

What made it worse was that Spainards are terrified of catching cold and of children catching cold, I swear it was bizarre. It would be in like the 50's and people were walking around in puffy down coats and scarves and glove and there was Carolina was in a fleece pullover and was only in that because I had threatened her dessert if she didn't put it on.

I guess it's took me by surprise because this is something we don't deal with here in Texas too often. It doesn't get seriously cold very often and even when it does get colder it's still much more common to see kids in hoodies and light fleeces. When we're going from the car to a building staying warm isn't too hard. However, in Spain we were outside much more walking around so you are exposed to cool air for a longer period of time. I get that to point, but I feel that at 8 Carolina understands consequences and if she wants to be cold, let her be cold. She'll put a jacket on when she's ready and it was not something I personally wanted to spend my time arguing with her about.

Plus, I sympathized with Carolina, I really did. I was tired of wearing my jacket as well; I was tired of the extra weight, the itchy cloth and the clumsy feeling I felt trying to navigate the narrow shops and restaurants with all the extra material. However, I was an adult and could fend off the well meaning nagging when I decided to brave it without the jacket. Carolina would find herself surrounded by very loving meaning relatives and a father, who turned his nagging dial up to 11 while in Madrid, practically tying her into her coat. She'd put it on and then act like fire had just been wrapped around her not a purple fleece lined puffy jacket from Wal Mart. So all these other people would force the jacket on her, but guess who got to carry the jacket around when we entered a building, subway, bus or when she'd be running around and just ditch the darn thing. Oh right, that would be me.

That would be me, walking through a castle and carrying that freaking jacket!

I tried multiple compromises the first week, she wore a fleece or one of my sweaters, but in week 2 she caught a cold. We all caught colds, and I pretty much was given an "I told you so look" by everyone who'd lectured me on the jacket. I bit back telling them that we were staying in a house with 7 people 2 of whom were sick toddlers. Our immune systems had no choice but to roll over after a week of fending off the germs, that jacket had nothing to do with it. I was able to use that as leverage to force her into the jacket though the rest of trip and I actually bought her a new jacket during our final days. She got to pick it up and it was thicker then a fleece, but not a puffy one that she so detested.

Carolina in the offensive jacket; obviously created by Satan himself.

Compromise #1 - My sweater over her long sleeve shirt

Compromise #2 - Purple fleece that she still insisted on removing when not physically in the outdoors

Final solution: new jacket selected by Carolina

So I told Isaac that next time we go to Spain, we're going in the Spring or summer when I don't have to be jacket police. It's not a job title I enjoy and unless we're near the arctic circle it's not a argument I feel is worth fighting or listen to others fight. And to Katie Holmes and all the other parents, guardians, or caregivers of warm natured, hard headed children; let's meet for drinks sometime, we really need them!