Why My Niece’s Birthday List Made Me Laugh Out Loud

She is my self-proclaimed best friend (which I absolutely love!), so when my niece's birthday comes around I want to get the perfect gift. But when I saw this year's wish list I figured "nailing it" wasn't going to be terribly difficult.

Kids usually shoot for the stars when asked what they want for birthdays and Christmas. In fact the last few Decembers, my niece has been insistent about getting a reindeer (Santa always seems to disappoint on that one). But when this year's birthday came around her list was surprisingly simple, if not borderline sad.

I genuinely laughed out loud when I saw her list...and then I took a picture.

As you can see, she asks for normal things like American Girl Doll clothes and her favorites, lalaloopsys.

But then there are items like #4 and #5 or perhaps even more hilarious, #9.

I don't think she really wanted just one pen, but it would be so funny if that was all someone got her.

Actually I think she would have honestly been just fine with that, she's not really a materialistic kid (I think the list makes that fairly obvious), and it's usually the simplest things that make her happy.

Still I had to question my sister on #9, I mean when you look at this list you'd think the poor kid can't brush her teeth!

I guess the story behind that one is that she just hates the toothpaste my sister buys the family and wanted to have her own sparkly, bubble gum flavored toothpaste and she thought the best way to get it was to add it to her birthday list.

In the end I got her a kit to make American Girl Doll bracelets (two things on the list with one gift - go me!), but I really wanted to just put a pen and some toothpaste in a box and see what kind of look I got.