It started with a chair...

Bailey started insisting one afternoon, quite spontaneously, that she wanted her "little McDonald's" brought up from the basement.  It's kind of like a play kitchen, but it's a McDonalds, given to her from a very nice lady, something she played with a bit last summer before it took residence in the basement.  She remembered it and decided it needed to come back for a visit.  I bargained with her.  She needed to do some massive cleaning and configuration for such an event to take place.

 

While contemplating this, I thought about this corner in her room where the rocker glider was and so an idea was born.  It really was time to get rid of it.  It was a temptation for unfolded sheets and laundry.  It was a haven for misplaced toys.  It was no longer being used for its intended purpose.  So, I offered it on www.Freecycle.org and I had several people begging for it, but few who actually would come in the timely fashion I requested.  It finally ended up going to a persistent soul, ironically this same person who had said she hoped her child never had Bailey's red hair.  She showed up on my doorstep (over two hours late) for unwanted VHS movies I suppose with the intention of asking about the chair, which she did.  Little did she know, I was going to ask her if she wanted it anyway (because she had been number 47 on the list for it).  I was just ready to have it gone before the unfolded sheets staged a revolution.

Bailey was not ready though.  As soon as I started out that door with the chair, the fit ensued.  It was her chair.  It had always been hers.  And she didn't want it to go to someone else with a little baby, she wanted it to stay at her house.  That was too bad.  That girl certainly wasn't going to let her keep it, and neither was I.  It went to its new home, and while it had waited several days to leave our home, Bailey's McDonalds had already nestled snug in that very same corner, a place she enjoyed it for days.  But without the chair cramping up the style of the living room, suddenly she didn't want her McDonalds' gainful employment anymore, she wanted her chair back.  And we heard about it.  ALL ABOUT IT.  "I want my chair back.  It was my best chair."  And it was complete with sniffles of every octave and the cutest pouty expressions of all time.

 

And although she'll never get that chair back, and she still brings it up, it'll be okay.  And I don't mind being the evil villainess who gave away her chair, either.  It's just another lesson in life.  Sometimes we have to part with our old things to make room, especially if you're holding onto something just because it's always been there.  That's a lesson everyone has to learn.