Actually, I sort of have two answers for this. The very first Barbie I "owned" was a joint gift to my mom and me when I was born.
My mom was in high school when she saw the first Barbie in our local five and ten store. She thought she was a little old for Barbie but liked it anyway. After graduation, she moved to New York City for a time where she met my father about five years later. He was from this same area, but she didn't know him, even though they grew up about three miles apart. He spent four years in the Air Force and was stationed in England so after he was done serving, when he came home, he moved to New York as well and began working in Edison, NJ. They met there through mutual friends and on one of their first "dates" he bought her a Barbie - a blonde #7 ponytail. That's how she started into Barbie and when I was born, my first gift from my dad was a Barbie -a blonde Talking Barbie in the white vinyl bikini. I though I kind of consider myself only partial owner of that doll since she's still in her box, just the same as the day my dad bought her at the same 5 & 10 where my mom saw the #1 ponytail years before.
I still have both dolls, but have never photographed them. Again, I should.
The first Barbie I actually played with was a gift from my cousin Cory when I was three and he was four. It was a Ballerina Barbie. He picked it out all by himself for my birthday that year and was so proud of himself. Somewhere in an old album, there's a picture of him giving her to me and then helping me open her because he couldn't wait for me to see her. Our old poodle, Boomer, nipped off one of her toes but otherwise, she's still around but in very played with shape.
As as addition to the story, when Ed and I married in Las Vegas in 2006, a few of my family members either drove or flew from Pennsylvania to see the wedding. Cory was among the guests who flew there for the ceremony. The day he arrived, he went right to FAO at Caesar's Palace and bought the first doll he could find - the Stolen Magic Silkstone. During my wedding reception in Quark's Bar, he gave me the doll as part of my wedding present. All those years later, he remembered which made me cry - and I hadn't even cried during the wedding itself!
Really should take photos of those dolls too. If only there were more hours in the day.
Although this photo is kind of old (Chicago in 2004) my dad still goes with me to Barbie events and helps me carry my bags.
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