The unending year long birthday festival of grade one sees the little one invited to yet another gala.  I suppose it's an opportunity to assess Christmas wishes as well, so off we went to Toys R Us in search of the holy grail of girl toys.   

My gender neutral child has been co-opted by the forces of stereotyping.  Our first stop was at the largest Barbie Dream House I've ever seen. 
At $169, the thing had better have nine foot ceilings, luxury upgrades, and ceramics throughout.  Apparently Barbie was right to dump Ken (a commitment phobic drone with a Peter Pan complex) in favour of tanned buffed Blaine. 

Things are looking up for Barbie, and if I unfolded the monster house in my living room I would not have to actually decorate my own house.  "It's really expensive sweetie" I said.  "Oh no Mummy, Santa makes them, this is just the demonstrator".  Off she runs to the next must have toy.  "Look, look this is sooo cool!" she exclaims. 
There she is standing, a look of enraptured delight on her face, beside a toy ironing board complete with iron and cleaning caddy.  My child is self actualizing.  And then something catches her eye, it's the best thing she has ever seen.  A shiny red toy Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner with a dust buster attachment!  "I've just got to have this, please Mummy, please!!" 
"Child! You'll put your eye out". 

Shaken, I redirected her to the task at hand.  The quest for the perfect birthday gift.  In the end we settled on My Little Pony luggage.  A totally bizarre choice, but it somehow seemed right.  If I throw in a package of Rice-a-Roni, the San Francisco treat, I know that the present will be the hit of the party for modern six years old girls.