Not cheaper by the dozen

With glee Faith announced from the computer, "Mom, there's a new Barbie movie!" Great. Not that I haven't enjoyed some of the doll's flicks, but it's getting expensive. Each film has its own set of dolls and accessories. How clever Mattel is in getting moms and dads to part with their hard-earned money. Not to sound cliche, but when I was little, I had one Barbie doll. Of course I had a few changes of clothes, but one doll. Faith is up to about three dozen, I think. My brain is straining to remember which doll is which. Rapunzel was easy to identify until Faith cut off her hair. Now she looks a lot like Swan Lake Barbie, or is it Bride Barbie? Anyway, after Faith's announcement, she insisted I had to leave the stove and tell her more about the movie. Before interrupting dinner preparations, I tried to get Faith to research the movie on her own. "But, I can't read," was her reply. To my dismay, Barbie's new motion picture is entitled, "Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses." Oh,Joy. "Why are there 12, Mommy?" Faith wanted to know. I explained that Barbie has 11 sisters in this movie. I really wanted to say that Mattel just wants us to buy dolls by the dozen now. When we first started watching Barbie movies a few years ago, we just bought the main character doll. But the doll-maker wised up and released, "The Princess and the Pauper." How could you resist the blond and brunette dolls that sing and when you push their buttons in unison, they harmonize? Of course you had to buy their future husbands, pets, carriages, castles. Thank goodness we restrained ourselves and stopped at one husband. The Daddy doll from the Happy Family set could double for the handsome tutor suitor. Maybe we can morph her other dolls into this new 12-member cast. It is definitely not cheaper by the dozen.
- Liz Fabian