It's not everyday your kid is crowned a princess

Like most little girls, B has become obsessed with princesses--more particularly, the Disney Princess crew. The allure of ruling a magical kingdom with an iron fist, while wearing sumptious gowns and sparkling jewels has finally won out. For years now, Princess Grace (Brooke's older and appropriately named cousin) has been trying in vain to convert B over to princess games (such as dressing up as Aurora or cleaning cottages like Snow White) and Brooke has valiantly resisted, preferring caring for baby dolls or bunnies. No more. The Diva (Gracie's other nickname) has won.

In fact, Brooke's new favourite game is "Princess Baby." She gagagoos like a baby, while I (in the role of Princess Mommy, Queen or Nasty Dragon as B's mood dictates) rock her, put blankets over her on the couch and generally refer to her as "Princess Baby" (or sometimes Queen or Purple Fairy, again depending on her mood). I am not allowed to break character and if I do, I am firmly instructed to "talk Princess" to her.

Anyways, a few months ago, I discovered a great little magazine for girls at the grocery store. Princess Magazine (by Redan Publishing), which runs for about 35 pages and features Disney Princess activities--colouring pages, puzzles, craft ideas, posters, games and comic book-style stories. Not sure if it was really worth the $4.99 price tag, I picked it up anyways, thinking its presence in the bathroom might help induce longer potty sessions. It worked. And B was delighted!

The magazine also hosted several little contests--and being the contest junkie that I am, I entered Brooke in them. Well, fast forward several months and issues later (I really must get a subscription and save myself a couple of bucks from the newsstand price....). We were grocery shopping two weeks ago when Brooke bit her tongue at the deli counter. To quell the wailing (and the staring eyes of our fellow shoppers!) that ensued, I handed her the May/June issue of Princess magazine. She instantly stopped crying and the tears dried as she began flipping through the pages.

"My magzine! Look--it's Cindrella!" (Yes, B is in that adorable state of toddlerhood where she skips middle syllables. I love it.)

At home, after we put away the groceries, I went to sit on the couch to nurse Avie. B's magazine was sitting there, so I perused it while otherwise occupied. I was absolutely astounded to turn to the back page (where the Princess Penpals submit their own photos, drawings or letters) and find a photo of my daughter staring back at me! She had been selected as a winner!! I excitedly called her over to show her. I've never seen a bigger grin on a child!

I called everyone I knew that afternoon. I posted the news up on Facebook. I went back to the store to purchase another issue because Brooke had already crayoned up the first one (of course, scribbling on her own face). My kid was a star! I was so proud of her.

The following week, the girls and I took our walk to the mailbox as we do each day. Inside was a large package addressed to B. She was thrilled! I thought this must have been her prize (small prizes are given to those selected to be featured on the Princess Penpals page). When she opened it up, it was a Tinkerbell DVD. Not the Princess prize we were expecting--I had entered her in a contest for Tinkerbell magazine (another one of the six magazines Redan publishes) and she had won that one too! We were soooo surprised. How cool is that?

Back to the grocery store to pick up the May/June issue of Tinkerbell. (No photo in this one, just her name.) And later that week, her Princess prize (a bubble necklace) arrived--with another copy of the magazine. Is my kid lucky or what?

I'm thinking of letting my little princess pick out some lotto tickets the next time we're at the grocery store.