Easy Bake

I look back on my childhood and I think I had it made. I may not have had all the toys and name brand clothes, but I had it really, really good.

Anything that was truly important to me, I got. I had Barbies (John Travolta as Vinnie Barbarino, anyone?) and Air Supply records (remember those?) I had a single pair of Levis that I wore to death.

I had it good.

The things I didn't have, like Gloria Vanderbilt or Jordache jeans, or perfectly permed hair in fifth grade, I didn't really even want. Those things weren't that important to me.

Alyssa, though. Ah, she loves 'stuff.' She loves having the latest toy and watching the newest movies.

For Christmas she got three Zhu Zhu pets. None of those were from me. I didn't even know what those things are.

Thankfully, my mom is all up on the hottest toys and had Alyssa covered.

Alyssa also got an Easy Bake Oven from my mom. Which...wow. She loves that thing.

And the best thing is that she loves it not because everyone else has it, but because she can use it ot make things like cakes and cookies for the people she loves.

This gift is showing her the joy of giving. And that's just so cool! I want her to remember that it's fun to give. It's awesome to watch someone enjoy something you made with your own hands. She's made two cakes already, and those two cakes went to Alyssa's daddy and her Gram. That makes me very happy.

I'm okay with her liking 'stuff' as long as she remembers that the important thing is what she does with that stuff. That she remembers that the people in her life are way more important than the stuff and that in the end, stuff can be replaced, but the people in her world, and their feelings, can't.

I'm trying to impress that upon her every day in the little ways. I hope and pray it's working. She's a pretty cool kid, even though she does have a lot of stuff.

But gosh, that Easy Bake Oven is fun. I kind of wish I'd wanted one as a kid.