Just the kind of girl I am.

Here is a prime example of the saintly behavior I exhibit daily. When I was 4 years old, I was terribly ill at Christmas. I was suffering from influenza. I spent the holiday season lying on the couch, so very near death, watching as my siblings decorated and sang carols all with a warm cup of wassail in their hand. I shivered with the family puke bowl tucked under my chin. Weeks earlier I had asked the Nordstrom's Santa Claus for a Little Miss Makeup.

or, more realistically

This beauty was the Tickle-Me-Elmo of her day. You put PLAIN WARM WATER on her face and MAKEUP WOULD SHOW UP!!!!!! She couldn't be found anywhere. My mother tried and tried, and finally, on Christmas Eve asked me what I would want if Santa couldn't find a Little Miss Makeup. I turned to my mother, too weak to even open my eyes, and replied AND I QUOTE "Oh nothing. If I can't have Little Miss Makeup I'll just have nothing." My mom took the tiny angelic dagger from her heart, and got down to business. She called anyone with a car, and set out to every Bartell's in within a 15 mile radius. My great-aunt did the same. And God bless her, she found one at Jafco. My mom also was able to find one. I know what you're thinking. If both these women were able to find them where they really that hard to come by? Uh yeah! They were, we were just super blessed. It was like Jesus' birthday present to me! So imagine my joy on Christmas day when I had TWO Little Miss Makeups. Being the little cherub I was and am, I gave the more tan one to my little sister. She named her Tammy, after our swim lesson teacher. I can't remember what I named mine, but it was probably something like Miracle. Because that's what she was to me. Unfortunately, whatever chemical made her face makeupy wore off within 6 months, and I was left with a doll in a loose fitting blue leotard (see picture above). But I loved that plain doll. Loved her until my mom threw her away because I didn't play with her.