Some Assembly Required, Batteries not Included

As a rule, I don't particularly like toys that require batteries, make artificial noise, are made of plastic or are very commercialized (read: Disney Princesses).  I much prefer soft, plush toys or classic wooden ones.  They just feel more wholesome and genuine (not sure if that's the word I'm looking for but I'm a little brain dead right now so it will have to do, you know what I mean).  Also as a rule, I want my kids to be free to pursue their interests and develop their individual personalities.  I don't want to suppress or hold them back from what truly makes them happy.  And right now the thing that seems to make Kaelyn the happiest is princesses.  Especially Disney Princesses.  So, when my brother called me while Christmas shopping for the kids and asked if it was ok to get her the Disney Princess musical vanity, for the sake of my daughter's happiness I said, "yes."

And then I took the thing out of the box and saw how many pieces it came in I seriously considered taking it back.  (She got to open her presents from them early since we won't see them on Christmas.)  Only problem was, she already saw it. And there was no way she was going to forget it.  So, I spent the better part of nap time today putting it together.  At least the part I wasn't ushering one child back to bed or trying to rock the other back to sleep.  Since she didn't stay in bed, Kaelyn knew I was putting it together and it was the first thing she asked about when she woke up.

(Notice the new princess jammies she got from Maya too.)

Naturally she needed to get out all her princess paraphernalia to play with it.  The cape and wand were already with her at nap.  Maya gave her these over Thanksgiving too.  These were homemade and not Disney, big pluses in my book.  She also had to have her tiara on and her new princess brush.  Later she also insisted on wearing Rapunzel dress, long hair and Rapunzel necklace.

The next challenge will be finding a home for it that is not our living room.  I hope the gift give realizes that we will be "gifting" this to their children in the future, whether or not they have any girls.  Lucky for them it will come assembled. (Really, she loves it guys.  And we still love you, even if you do give our kids obnoxious gifts.  I'm sure I was guilty of giving a few myself.)

And so begins the Christmas season. Do you think the musical vanity will help her forget the Disney Princess castle she wanted to ask Santa for now?  Santa thought he was done shopping but I don't know if Mama is quite ready to teach her a lesson in disappointment this Christmas.  I have a lot more to say on the topic of Christmas but I think I'll save it for another day.