Happy Birthday, KK!

What's the best surprise from your significant other on a holiday weekend that you've decided will be spent at home?  A child's birthday party that he has RSVP'd the family for!  Even better - the Saturday night 10pm reminder that we, of course, don't have a gift!  He has the best timing!

My mission: Find the perfect gift that will make my SO look like a hero when he returns to work on Tuesday.

My questions for SO: How old is the child?  Is it a boy or a girl?  What time is the party? Is there a theme? What does the child like to do/watch?  What size does the child wear? How long is the party?  Where is the party?  What is the child's name?

The answers from SO (after a 10 second blank stare):  It's a girl. She's turning 3. It starts at 12 and she's a 3T. Ain't no theme and they call her "KK."

From all this great information, I correctly deduced that SO's coworker was the little girl's father.  Father to father information is sometimes not that informative!  But it was all I had to work with. 

Sunday morning found me in wrinkled clothes going shopping.  For the record, I didn't think my clothes were wrinkled. SO was the one that pointed it out (and we've already established that he isn't a great source of information).  I was optimistic as always about my task.  My plan was to be in and out of TJ Maxx in under fifteen minutes.  All I had to do was find a gift for a 3 year old little girl - that wasn't pink.  And don't forget my rule: I never buy anything for anyone else's child that I wouldn't buy for my own.  I just think it's kind of rude to have my child dressed at a certain level and then shop for another child at a lower level.  I am not rich or well off at all.  If I can find the deals to make my sun look like we spent $100 on his outfit when we actually spent $30, I can do it for your child, too!

I won't drag this out at all.  After almost forty minutes of searching through the entire girls' section, I was left with only two options.  They were solid options that served me with a dilemma.  I had to choose between a very pretty white sun dress and a ruffled top and leggings outfit.  The sundress was very well made but I didn't recognise the designer.  The white and blue leggings ensemble was by Calvin Klein. I was leaning towards the dress when I had a crazy but valid thought.  I hadn't asked SO if KK was white, black, Asian, Hispanic, etc.  If she was a pale child, the white dress would wash her out.  So Calvin Klein won this battle at $14.99.  A great price for only having two options, right?  The dress was $19.99.

So what did I learn from this experience?  First, I made the right decision with the outfits.  After meeting KK, her personality was definitely leggings and not frilly white dress.  I also noticed that I have no idea what little girls play with.  All the toys were so very pink!  I remember just playing with cars as a child because everything was too girly for me.  Someone has to tell manufacturers that making something pink does not automatically make it appealing to girls or women!  I have to find not pink girl toys!  And lastly, never trust the SO to get party details.  It was a water party and our sun was dressed in a polo and khakis while all the other children enjoyed the water stations and wet bouncy houses.  He didn't mind, though.  He loved staring at the beautiful KK and whispering her name lovingly!  That boy is a trip!