AMERICAN GIRL.

Did you read those books as a kid? I did. And I loved them. I remember curling up in my bed and getting lost in those books for hours. I still have them too. They're sitting on a bookshelf in a closet, just waiting patiently for the day when Nugget is ready for them. Back in my day (ha ha ha!) there were four dolls to choose from. Four. Samantha, Molly, Felicity and Addy. Now there's a bajillion of them. I wanted one so bad. I begged my mom for years. And finally a day came when I was gifted one for Christmas. Felicity.

I was so happy to finally have such a special doll, that I was almost too afraid to play with her. She was so valuable to me that I wanted to keep her in pristine condition. She stood, perched upright by a doll stand, on a small table in a corner of my bedroom. Once in awhile I would take her down and brush her hair and redo her ponytail, but that was about it.

Fast forward to present day, and the American Girl brand is omnipresent. The closest store used to be in the heart of Chicago, now there's one just a short drive away. Some time ago, Nugget came across my Felicity doll in a closet, and of course wanted to play with her. You may think that I would have had a small heart attack, but I've changed a lot since I was ten, thankfully. I was happy to hand her over to Nugget, let the doll get some proper lovin', and see something that made me so happy make her happy too.

Felicity's ponytail is long gone, her wardrobe has been updated, and she was renamed Emily. All as to be expected when cared for by a three year old. Needless to say, 'Emily' was is dire need of a good hair brushing, but the problem is her hair is a wig, so you can't just use any old  brush. I smoothed it down the best I could, gathered it into a braid, and tried to hide the rats nest by adorning it with a flower clip. It worked for a while, but like with many cover ups, it didn't last. I know I could have just ordered a brush online and called it a day, but I saw it as an opportunity to indulge in something I knew Nugget would love.

I took her to the American Girl Store. We've been there before, dined with her Bitty Baby, played in the store. But she didn't recall those memories, so this was a whole new world again for her.

Did you know the store now has a doll hair salon? And you can get your dolls ears pierced? Seriously, talk about a money maker. But of course, being the good Mama that I am, I allowed myself to get sucked right into it and paid $14 dollars for this...

However, I was repaid ten fold by the smiles on Nugget's sweet little face.

Once Emily's hair was untangled, we headed upstairs to the Bistro and had lunch. This should be every little girl's dream.

Nugget had a ball sharing lunch and pink lemonade with Emily. She also kept asking me to 'read more questions'. They were surprisingly fun, and Nugget had some good answers. For instance, I didn't know that Nugget thinks the most beautiful animal in the world is a camel. And Christmas is her favorite day of the year. She would rather vacation on the beach than in the mountains, which she could truly answer as she has been to both. Her favorite sandwich is pb and j, that I knew. And she renamed each of us in her family, assigning us all as a Disney princess. I may just have to make up one of these little games for our dinning room table, pretty cute if I do say so.

Before leaving, we bought Emily a proper hair brush, and Nugget brushed her hair all the way home. Now I'm finding strands of red wig hair everywhere. Ha. But I'll deal.

What a fun, sweet day we were able to share together. I know this memory may escape her in time, but then I'll just have an excuse to do it all over again.

Before I go, I have a question for you...

For me, hands down, I love regular mail all the way. In this age of technology, I fear that sending a hand written note will become a lost art. That's why I send them all the time. And I look forward to checking our mail box daily, anticipating what treasures will await me. Maybe a package from Mini Boden. Perhaps a new parenting or house magazine to read. Maybe even a card from Nana. Checking my mailbox is a true highlight of my day. I know, I'm lame. How about you? Which do you prefer?