No Princesses, Please

We've got some big days coming up. Talya's 2nd birthday and Charlie's first birthday are right around the corner. I've begun thinking of how to celebrate so that it's special for both of them, even though they'll have to share the big party, since their birthdays are only 3 days apart. (We can't really expect our friends to upend their lives to come to our house for pizza and cake twice in one week.)

So, here's the thing. I don't know what Talya's "thing" is. She doesn't really talk yet, although she's learning more and more. She's kind of into babies, but I don't really want to add more to the collection of naked dolls that must be located throughout the house so they can go to bed with her at night. As it is, we have a naked white doll (thank you Lucy), a naked black boy baby doll (from Simon's potty training days), a half-naked peek-a-boo doll (thank you Grandma), and another naked baby of mysterious ethnic origin (thank you Megan Aunty).

So, no dolls.

She's not into princesses. I don't think she knows what a princess is. Same with Barbie. I'm not completely against them, I just want her to get interested in them on her own, and I know that this is utter sacrilege in our culture, but I don't think dolls with boobs are age appropriate for a two-year old. When she likes them on her own, she can have them. One. She can have one, not one thousand. Those are words I'm sure I'll be eating shortly.

So, no princesses and no Barbie.

She's not into Elmo or any character. I *may* have told my kids that Dora lives in Colorado, and can't come to Ohio very often. She likes Elmo and Curious George and Clifford well enough, but she's certainly not obsessed with them.

So, no cartoon characters.

I guess, I'm just not big on telling her what she should like. I'm waiting to see what she decides she likes. But, I don't know what it is. Is this some sort of maternal failure on my part - either my failure to recognize her interests or my failure to encourage her to have one? Are we so busy going places and cleaning yogurt up off the floor that she hasn't had time to begin an unhealthy interest in Minnie Mouse? (Because, I swear, all we do is go places and clean yogurt off the floor.)

She likes to get new clothes and shoes. She likes me to do her hair, sometimes. She likes to play with any toy either brother is holding. She likes to color on the coffee table. She likes to throw yogurt on the floor. She likes to smash eggs. She likes to use q-tips to smear toothpaste all over her face. She likes to kiss her baby brother... and then push him over.

I'm just not sure how to make a cake that will really pull together all of these "hobbies" into something special.