My Dark Secret

Last week I did a posting about the picture on my blogging header taken at American Girl Place in New York City and mentioned how I love going there and American Girl.

My girlfriend and I were chatting on my drive into work this morning and yes, I was hands free on my cell. She told me that she and her husband were taking their 9 year old granddaughter to NYC one day this week. One of the things they will do is make a brief visit to American Girl Place. I am so jealous as I LOVE going there.

As a child, I had my fair share of dolls and liked playing with them. I always wanted a Ginny doll but never got one. Could that be why I turned out the way I am? I got my Barbie doll in Sept. (5th grade) on a day trip to NYC. My mom and I drove my grandparents and aunt to the docks for their ocean trip to Europe. My grandparents were going back to visit their homeland and my aunt was along for the trip. My grandparents came over to the US from what became East Germany and Holland when they were in their twenties and just married. After we saw them off, my mom and I went to Macy's and I got my doll. I'll never forget it but don't remember all the playing that I did with her. What I do remember is all the playing that I did when I was younger with my baby dolls and my walking doll. There was no such thing as anything like an American Girl doll. Even if there had been, my practical parents never would have spent that kind of money.

Fast forward to the next generation. I never knew anything about American Girl when my daughter was growing up. My ex and I were also very practical parents so we never would have spent that kind of money either. She had her share of dolls and Barbies and liked playing with them.

Fast forward to the two granddaughters. Now, they are another story and gone are the practical values my ex and I had as they are our granddaughters. We've bought each girl several dolls and accessories. If I could afford it, I would have bought more of the American Girl booty that they have.

I've read the Molly books and listened to most of the other series from books on tape and seen all the movies. The first ones that were only on TV have been taped and I've even watched them several times on my own. Yes, I admit to it. My daughter actually planned their arrival in CT last summer so they'd all be here so we could go to see the Kit Kittridge movie on opening day.

For Christmas 2007, I made each granddaughter period Colonial Williamsburg gowns to match their dolls they got that Christmas. Check my daughter's blog header and you'll see them wearing the Williamsburg gowns but in Moscow. When we went to American Girl place, we brought the gowns and they changed as soon as we got there and they wore them while we shopped and had lunch in the cafe. Of course their new Felicity and Elizabeth dolls went along. I still need to find the right washable fabric to make them the red and green long capes.

When we go to American Girl Place, we're there for the long haul which means looking over and over at all the displays, deciding what to buy, having lunch in the cafe, the girls' pictures taken in the photo shop and just having a wonderful time. When they had the live show, we went to that.

I think the thing that we all love about the American Girl historic dolls is how they totally wrap the girls into the American history. The girls roll play and really get into character. One weekend they were Addie escaping from slavery to freedom in the North. Another weekend my daughter got supplies and they made a teepee in their living room. They wore their Indian squaw outfits, slept in their teepee along with their Kaya doll and were Nez Perce American Indians. With the girls' living in Moscow, it is important that they learn about their own American history as they don't have it in school. From the dolls, they have developed an interest in books about famous Americans in history. I remember as a little girl loving to read autobiographies about famous people. The books had light blue covers I remember.

I DREAD the day that the girls outgrow it all. Fortunately Katya (turning 9 in 2 weeks) is really into it so hopefully we have quite a few more years left. The way things go with the girls, once Katya outgrows something, Natalia follows. I hated to see Angellina Ballerina and Madeline left behind. I'm still holding on to my Angellina and Madeline videos just in case... My girlfriend Diane loves American Girl and bought herself the Molly doll and is slowly buying the Molly clothes and accessories. I bet Diane would go with me to American Girl Place in NYC once my granddaughters no longer want to go! I'll keep that thought in mind........