52 And Not One Gray Hair!

On behalf of Barbie's 52nd birthday, I'm going to go back in time and tell you all my fondest memory of Barbie as a kid.

Like most little girls, Barbie was a staple in our household.  Back when I was about 10, I use to LOVE playing with my Barbies.  Like most little girls, I wanted everything Barbie had to offer.  I wanted to be Barbie.  She had it all!  She had a DREAM HOUSE!

I think my parents lucked out on the "I Wants" because we were in Germany and the only commercials we got were ones about the military.  But that didn't stop me from wanting all the new accessories that Barbie had to offer.  

At that time, I was in about the 4th grade.  Barbie was the bomb to me.  We'd recently moved to Germany and you know how electronics come with the Styrofoam triangle and rectangle ends to protect them in their boxes?  Well, back then, I had an imagination.  I used those pieces as Barbie furniture.  It. was. awesome.  My Barbie was the envy of her friends with that stylish white furniture all over her living room!  (Well, all over the left corner of my bedroom).  I played with that "furniture" until it crumbled into pieces... or until my parents bought me the BARBIE TOWN HOUSE!  

Yeah, I thought I was on top of the world when Santa dropped off that 3 story 2 dimensional house with the cardboard-painted living room, dining room and kitchen!  With, get this... NEW FURNITURE!!!  Real PLASTIC furniture! 

It wasn't the Barbie Dream House I so desperately wanted (which my sister ended up getting years later  >:-/  ), but I digress.  It was way better than the Styrofoam furniture!

Barbie was my fave.  I loved the fact that my brother was 4 years younger than me because I use to make him come and play Barbies with me at that time, he never seemed to mind.  He'd bring his He-Man toys and Ken would have to fight He-Man for Barbie's love! 

I had such a LOVE for Barbie.  And now I have a daughter of my own.  

But, it hurt me to my heart when a few weeks ago, my 6 year old daughter told me she really didn't care to play with her Barbies much anymore.  She said, "Um, well... Barbies are kinda... BORING."  Huh?  WHAT?  Boring?  Barbie is EVERY WOMAN!  She has seen, done and been EVERYTHING.  She has the best clothes money can buy!  What's so boring about the Barbie Dream House she has in her room (passed down from my sister, since I didn't have one to pass to her... HMPH!), the remote control convertible or the tons of REAL PLASTIC FURNITURE?????  

The good thing is, even though she feels that Barbie is boooring, it hasn't stopped her from getting excited about all the cool Barbie stuff every time we go into the toy section.  The Booooooring comes from not having anyone to play with her.  Mommy can only play so long and the boys, well... she doesn't have any YOUNGER brothers to bully into play with her.  She still wants EVERY SINGLE BARBIE ON THE AISLE!  I'm going to love building her collection!