Brunch with “Barbie”

Glitter, jewelry, pink and purple decor, cupcakes, little girls dressed in their Barbie best and a teenager in a prom dress posing as the plastic doll come-to-life.  Brunch with Barbie was a blast!Our town’s little library was so nice to offer Barbie fans this free event and I think the ladies running the show were quite surprised by the turnout.  Several times, I heard them breathlessly say, “I hope we have enough for everyone.  We didn’t even have half this many people last year.”

It was so packed that they quickly ran out of foam crowns to decorate and the jewels to dress up those crowns were being rationed (three to a child although Nia had a few more because I struck gold when I glanced at the floor – it was covered in sparkles of dropped jewels), the chip bowls didn’t even have crumbs left and people crowded around to take a picture with “Barbie.” Nia got her turn and was a little shy – after all, she was sitting next to Barbie!

Nia and "Barbie"

I also had her pose with another girl who I thought could have been Barbie.  She was someone just attending the event but when I saw her (mini-dress, high-heels, make up and all), I felt compelled (and entertained) to ask her for a picture.  (I was cracking myself up.)

Nia and a Girl I Thought Could be Barbie

Nia and I had great time and I’m so thankful that our library hosted such a nice event.  Sure, there were a few (ungrateful) moms I heard complaining (“My little girl didn’t get to decorate a crown!”  “They really didn’t plan well for this.”) but, for the most part, people were positive and patient.  Nia and I wore smiles on our faces the whole time and I would make it a point to let the frantic ladies wearing “Friends of the Library” buttons know that we thought it was all wonderful.  It seems we were actually kind of rewarded for our praise too – at the end of the event, Nia’s name was pulled from a big bowl of raffle tickets.  She won the Barbie Grand Prize!

Nia Won the Big Barbie Prize!

The basket was filled with all sorts of goodies, including a Barbie. Tonight, that Barbie is being cuddled by Nia.  As I was tucking them both into bed Nia told me, “This Barbie had to spend a long time in that basket huh Momma?  But now, she gets to be with me.”  I told her that meant that Barbie was really lucky because being with her was the best place she could be.  In typical Barbie form, she closed her eyes, smiled, made a dramatic “that is so sweet” noise and said, “I love you Momma.”