because clearly, to those who know me outside of this realm, i am not the best decision maker on this planet, or any other i reckon.
we all know that the holidays are approaching and that will only happen a little more rapidly with each day. this doesn't really stress me out, even though i'm hand making most of my gifts this year. on the contrary, it gives me things to do other than study and for that i am truly grateful.
however, i have reached a conundrum.
aeryn's dad and his family like to give her presents, especially since they don't see her all that often. she spends a week with him and brings home more toys than i know what to do with, which is then the reason that my living room usually looks like a toys r us exploded. as such, i have never emphasized gifts a great deal. i don't want her thinking (any more than she already does) that she is the center of the world (though for me she is) and everyone she meets owes her presents.
....now, i must interject. somehow she has developed the most generous heart and despite her awareness of how often people give her things, she is not possessive or selfish about anything she owns and will share with pretty much anyone. she lets her friends play with all her stuff, gives her treasures away, and invites strangers from the grocery store to our house to give them things. we're working hard on getting some of that pesky appropriateness in there, but i'm glad at least we're erring in this direction. ....
but this year, i feel an urge to do something really special for her. call it the sentimentality of a soon to be invisible mother (student teaching in january), a desire to splurge and 'stimulate the economy', or getting sucked into the seemingly inevitable materialism of the moment. for once, I want to be the one giving her the gift that makes her giddy with delight!! i have historically left that spot open for others and you know what... i want it back. just this once. they can all have it back next year.
the munch really really loves doll houses, but she doesn't have one. (correction: she doesn't have one here at home. she's got one at her dad's house.) she loves them to the point of telling me every week for the last 10 months "mom, i don't have a doll house." sometimes it's the variation "mom, can i buy a doll house?" or occasionally the more optimistic manipulative tactic "hey! let's buy a doll house!"(with a silly little smile on her face) SO, i've narrowed it down to the following options for her Christmas-evening-a-couple-weeks-early-because-she'll-be-with-her-dad-this-year delight. please comment and let me know what you think. my indecisive self is dazed and confused.
option #1
i like it's size for portability, but mostly i like the fact that it comes with furniture and dolls. it's cute, and the rooms aren't divided so small as to limit creativity of arrangement and future custom decorating. aeryn would love being able to carry it from room to room, but i'm sure i wouldn't love having it added to the living room floor. but the cutesy matchy-matchy-ness of the pieces and peeps is really darling.
option #2
SO what would you choose and why? did any of you have a doll house as a kid? what did you like most about it?
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10 comments:
There were six kids in my family so we never got the same big stuff that other people did. But I remember when I was 6 or 7 when my parents gave me a barbie doll house for christmas. It was nothing like the standard ones you see today but was actually quite big. It could have been used, I don't know. But it blew me away. I loved it for good couple years. Anyway you're probably better off with the first one.
Idea, though which I'm sure you already do, why not have a one in one out policy. Or every few months put together toys she doesn't use as much to give to another kid to play with. It works for us.
I love the wood one. Then the filling it is a gradual thing; it doesn't have to be done all at once... she can make some of the furniture.
I agree with Laurie. I like the wood one.
I have to admit I like things that fit a multitude of critters/dolls. My girls use doll houses for Littlest Pet Shop, My Little Ponies, Barbies, etc. (Somehow the dinosaurs never get a house.) And they seem to make their own furniture out of whatever's around, even when there is "real" furniture provided. Just a thought. So yes, I like the second. Good luck! And if you know of any small snakes for sale (Marina's still reminding me I promised her a snake when we moved out of Grandma's house), let me know, lol!
I love the wooden one (although the other is very cute!) because it looks like a blank canvas not a finished work. I can see so many possibilities and evenings doing together! I can also see it lasting for a looong time, maybe even a decorative touch when she is an adult. Aunt Lynn
I like the wooden one too -- and then your Sunday afternoons can include furniture making as well as baking. You can also let her sew quilts and rugs and all sorts of fun things for it as you are helping her with projects -- or to keep her busy while you work on your projects.
i think i am in the minority... i like #1... because a doll house will triple the appearance of clutter the minutes you see it and everything inside and with #1 you could turn around and it will still look cute!
so if the other has a fun front i would go for it, because i love the idea of her creating some of the furniture.
good luck!
With as creative as the 2 of you are, I would do the wooden one. Think DECORATING! Plus, it is so fun to have one that is multi-purpose! Also, Fisher Price has way cute furniture sets that are sold individually!
Thank you all for your comments. You have some really great ideas! I'm starting to stockpile the brainstorms and am getting really excited. Now I wonder which of us this gift is really for :)
I think it is great that you would like to buy her a dollhouse. I like the wooden one.
What I loved most about my dollhouse is that my Dad built it and it was one of a kind. Just an idea... you could make one for her out of Paper:
http://kidscrafts.suite101.com/article.cfm/make_ayour_own_dollhouse
OR out of wood: http://www.letsbuildadollhouse.com/lbdhmenu.htm
You could always call a local construction company and see if someone there would be willing to help you. OR go to a local school and see if any of the kids taking a shop class or the shop teacher could build or help build it Or go to a local hardware store and see if anyone there is qualified and willing to build or help build it...
Just alternative options.
Good luck! Whatever you decide, I am sure she will love it and get hours and hours of enjoyment out of it.
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