When Will I Learn?

Like many of us around here, I have a serious love of Pinterest. Oh my gawd the amazing things I find there. I have some seriously stylish, crafty, and brilliant friends…but I knew that.

Awhile ago I got a vanity table for my daughter. I spent time draping it with red velvet and zebra print fabrics just like she asked. I painted the top with a black enamel so it would be easily wipeable. The only thing it needs is a mirror. I’ve been hunting for “the” one for a year or so. Then I saw this one on Barbara’s pinterest page.  To quote fantastic stylist to the stars Rachel Zoe, I died.

I went in search of a vintage, art deco three panel dressing mirror.

And then stopped.

This is what I want for my daughter, not what she wants.

I’ve done this before.

I documented it. 

That doll house in the picture, it was a lesson.

My daughter had gone to a friend’s house and played with their doll house. I thought what a great Santa gift for my girlie! It was the gift I was referring to putting together when I wrote my Night Before Christmas revision. If only Mrs. Claus and her girls had come to visit.

I had visions of my daughter making up Real Housewife-esque scenarios for her dolls to play out in the house. Playdates and mommies doing laundry; the typical life of a suburban family. Maybe the little dollies would play in the invisible yard in front of the house. It was the scene I saw while I put all bazillion and a half pieces together. It was what kept me going when the Pope came on at midnight, 2 hours after my husband had lost interest and the ability to stay awake.

My daughter was so excited! She moved the furniture into the dollhouse while it was still in the living room even though we told her not to because we’d move it into her bedroom. She just wanted to play with it! Like typical toys, she played with it for a few days with diminishing interest. Before long she was back to her markers and dress up clothes. She put the play clothes in the doll house bedroom when I tucked her in so at least she was making use of the closets, I suppose.

About a month after Christmas, I began finding the doll house furniture in the hall, down the stairs, or in my own, real life, living room. I gathered them together in a toy time out to see if she’d miss them. She didn’t. I stopped paying much attention after awhile. I noticed that the doll house staircase had come loose and a support or two had joined the transient doll furniture. Maybe I didn’t do a good enough job of tightening those screws.

But, one afternoon my son took interest in the doll house. I was thrilled to hear the peals of laughter on the warming spring air coming in through my daughter’s bedroom window. As long as there was no screaming or fighting, I wasn’t going to interrupt them. When it was time for dinner, I stuck my head in to see what story they had dreamed up that was keeping them so engrossed. My daughter was on the second floor of the doll house- literally. That was what had them so excited, daring one another to contort the other to fit on a floor. They had also used markers to add their own decorations to the house.

Not quite the vision I had in mind for the doll house.

This year my daughter has asked for a Monster High Lagoona Blue Hydration Station. It is what she wants. I’ve noticed that when I get her the things she wants, she takes better care of them. So, Lagoona and her Hydration Station are tucked away in the North Pole, i.e. our pop up trailer. I imagine it will sit on her vanity as a nightlight and she will never miss the fact that she doesn’t have a vintage 3 panel art deco mirror.

But I will.

Enjoy!

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