Monday, April 23, 2007

Fairies ARE Real


Anyone who has spent more than two minutes with my darling eight year-old, Maia, quickly learns two things about her. First, she can't be still for a second. Second, she loves fairies. I mean, she really loves fairies. Those geniuses at Disney started a whole new fairy line of merchandise, so when your little girl does finally outgrow princesses, she's got another new fascinating genre just waiting for her. Maia owns, has read, and rereads all eight of the chapter books about these Disney fairies. She builds "fairy houses" in the yard out of sticks and leaves. She dreams of "owning a pet fairy." She's quite obsessed.

This tends to bother her father a little bit because she really thinks that fairies are real. No amount of logical discussion can persuade her that this is not the case. I only get frustrated with it when she relentlessly begs to have a fairy and I have to tell her that is simply not possible. She doesn't believe me. Michael thinks she should grow up and face facts, but she is only eight.

Anyway, on Friday a package was waiting in our mailbox. I grabbed it and took it in the car with me to go pick up kids from school. It was addressed to Maia and the return address clearly said, "Tink. XXXXXXXXXXXXX Arlington, VA 22206" She couldn't believe that she had gotten a package from Tinkerbell herself. She ripped open the padded envelope and pulled out a card. "Maia, may your day be sprinkled with pixie dust. Love, Tink," it read. She was ecstatic. The envelope also contained a t-shirt. She opened it and gasped, "It's Fawn, Mom! Tinkerbell's friend, Fawn!" Fawn is not a fairy with whom I am familiar. None of Maia's books is about her, but apparently she is a resident of Pixie Hollow and therefore a friend of Maia's. The fairy pictured on this shirt, Fawn, is wearing a skirt that is sewn onto the shirt in a 3-D way. "Oh, this skirt is made from spider silk!" Maia exclaimed. I was thinking what in the heck is spider silk? As if to answer my silent question, Maia went on to explain, "Fairies weave their clothes from spider silk so this must be spider silk on this shirt!" She was in heaven. I mean, I just cannot write enough about how my sweet daughter is into fairies.

Don't think she and Mason didn't have a very lengthy discussion about how Tinkerbell could know where she lives (from her visits to disney.com where she goes to create her own fairies, or course). For every question they had, they quickly came up with a "reasonable" explanation (she's never actually entered her address into disney.com, but they didn't consider that).


As she was getting out of the car, she stuffed the shirt into her bag and mumbled to herself, "I can't wait to show Dad!" Then her voice lowered two octaves and she said in a slightly-mocking tone,"You know, Maia, fairies aren't real!" I had to bite the insides of my cheeks to keep from laughing. She didn't want to show her dad her shirt because she was excited about the shirt; she wanted to show her dad the entire package to prove to him that Tinkerbell and all the fairies in Pixie Hollow are real.

This morning, while she was supposed to be getting ready for school, I caught her writing a thank you note to Tinkerbell. At first, she told me, she was going to email Tink via the Disney website, but then she remembered the envelope with the return address. She is really excited to have Tink's address. "I guess there must be an Arlington in Pixie Hollow," she reasoned.

While I was doing her hair this morning, I noticed her patting a piece of paper sticking out of her pants pocket. "What's that?" I asked. "It's Tink's address. Arlington, VA 22206." She MEMORIZED it. "I'm going to show Eli and Rebecca Tinkerbell's address so they can write her letters, too!" I hope my sister is prepared for all the fan mail she's about to receive.

11 comments:

Kel said...

I love it! When I first read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, I spent many sunny afternoons trying to find my own way to Narnia.

Cami said...

oooh, that's way cute and awesome. I have never thought of doing it, but man would my kids love getting a letter from Mickey or the like.

Lynette said...

That is soo fun! Wow...she REALLY likes them! Just don't let her turn out like the couple who's wedding my sister recently attended....their ENTIRE wedding was FAIRIES! Everyone that was in it (including the bride and groom) and everyone that attended wore fairy wings...a little over the top :) I still think it's cute that she loves fairies so much.

Corinne said...

FABULOUS. I am so glad you recorded it. Classic :)

Kellie said...

Oh, if only Mike could realize how rich this inner life will make the rest of her outer life. I still believe in fairies and always think of them when mushrooms sprout up on my lawn overnight. I hope Maya has many more days of this precious belief in the world's ability to be miraculous. You should check out the fairie festival in Glen Rock, PA. It is May 4th-6th this year. The website is www.fairiefestival.net

Jenni said...

Maia really the sweetest girl, Mendy! I love how excited she was!! The package reminded me of my favorite part of "A Woman of Independent Means" were Bess gives her little girl gifts from the cloud fairies. How thoughtful your sister is!! :)

Julia said...

That is too cute!!

Ok, you MUST come to the Maryland Fairie Festival! I'll find out when it is and we shall all go together!

Unknown said...

That is so cute!!! I love it when children really believe in something that is nonexistent. That is the pure joy of childhood. I think is awesome that you sent her a package too. She will remember that for the rest of her life. :)

Melodie said...

I was just thinking the other day about Maia's wonderful imagination and how she wouldn't respond to us when she was younger unless we addressed her as Snow White (or Alice in Wonderland, or Cinderella, etc.). I always love to hear about her new interests -- she is so sweet!

Jeri said...

I love this story! I agree completely with Kellie's response! =)

What a sweet girl she is, and so lucky to have such a thoughtful Aunt!

Anonymous said...

Can she really be 8? She still looks the same! (Okay, different glasses, but she still looks like the Maia I remember!)

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There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one.

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