Time to go swimming! Hotel adventure

Picture above is the 'car'  -- love their little feet peeking through - haha!  The bag is FULL of everything they will need for their trip!  What a nice Mommy Adelyn is - she took 5 of her girls to a hotel in Michigan to go swimming!  They all had to take turns, Adelyn set the timer and gave each girl 20 minutes in the pool (thankfully 2 dolls fit in the pool at one time).  It was a bit of a long morning =) but fun !!  While 2 were in the pool, the other 2 big girls had ice cream and waited very patiently for their fun in the sun!  Baby Lucy came along because Adelyn "is still nursing" and she can't be away from her for an entire night.

 Ava and Kit were the first two in the pool

 

20 minutes later Erica and Emily got a turn, too :)  

 

 Emily and Erica waiting patiently for their chance to swim.

  Lucy needed to nurse.

 A very happy Adelyn

Adelyn said that she needed 3 big kids in the pool to hold Lucy up :)  Safety first!

 

 After their swim time it was time to come home, take baths and get in jammies.   No pictures of the bath because Adelyn said "Mommy, that's just weird". =)                      

A photo shoot

 Today Adelyn decided to do a photo shoot with her dolls.   They all got dressed up, Adelyn 'brushed' and styled all their hair until it was "just right" and "perfectly fancy".  Then she asked to borrow my camera ... and the rest is history!

 

Those that collect these dolls might get  wonder WHY I let my 4 year old 'brush' their hair or play rough with them at all ... and the answer is simple:  These dolls are toys.  They are dolls.  Yes, they are expensive, but they are worth the price because they are so well made - they are made to last - they are made to be played with. 

 

 

 Just like I wouldn't buy my kid a bike they couldn't ride - I would never give my child a toy and say "Sorry, it was very expensive, you can not play with it.  Put it on a shelf at stare at it."  What is the point in that!?  That is child TORTURE in my honest opinion!

 

 However, Adelyn does know that these dolls are special and that's WHY she wants to play with them.  They are special and they need love.  And that's what Adelyn give them - everyday.  Love.

 

When Adelyn goes down for a nap, I think I'll be getting out the spray bottle and brush and doing a little maintenance on these beauties.

 

Fun Times !!

The dolls and Adelyn spent about an hour ... not exaggerting ... playing duck duck goose =) 

It was SO fun to watch and def. picture worthy! 

After game time it was time for some pandora kids music and a dance party !!

Graduation Day!

Today was a big day for Adelyn's 4 'oldest' girls --- they graduated from preschool!  Of course that meant an entire performance, including a puppet show, many songs and lots of hugs!  Adelyn was amazing me with the songs she was completely making up as she went along as well as classic "Jesus Loves Me" and "Kindergarten here we come!".  She was instructing the kids to take a bow (picture on the right) and individually went over and hugged each of her kids.  When I asked if she was the teacher or the mommy she responded "I'm both.  They are lucky.  Their teacher is their mommy.  I don't want to be away from my kids for one single minute."

Getting Married ...

Adelyn informed me this morning that she needed to get married, quickly, because she had too many kids and they need a daddy.  "It's too much work to take care of them all by myself, I need to get married and get some help around here!"   - direct quote from Adelyn herself. 

The 'reaction' picture!

Nothing better then mommy getting new dollies for her birthday ;)  Read the post below for the full story - but here is their reaction --- the gorgeous brunette is my niece - perfect day for a playdate!

Passing on the love !

One thing I love about American Girl are the lessons they can teach our daughters.  Rather you're learning about Kit and The Great Depression or Addy and the civil war -- or more simply about self esteem or bullying with the dolls of today -- the lessons are all very powerful and extremely educational.  A lot of the AG books talk about being a good person, helping other people and simply making good choices and being kind to those around you.  Anyway, my husband and I were talking about a week ago about what I wanted for my birthday - which is in just a couple weeks.  Adelyn responded, "Mommy, I want you to have your very own doll so we can play together."  So sweet -- and of course, something I just had to do!  Somehow!  But these dolls are very expensive and a new doll for 'me' just wasn't in the budget.  Well, a total stranger, someone I met over the computer heard the story and sent me a message.  She sold me Kit and Emily for next to nothing.  She just wanted to make Adelyn smile.  What this kind woman didn't know is that Kit was the one doll Adelyn has been wanting since we started looking at the magazine ... because she looks the most like Adelyn.  Kit was a must have for our family.  And, Emily ... I've always had a soft spot for Emily because she is best friends w/ Molly --- and Molly is identical to my childhood doll, Erica.  Follow that?  So both of these dolls were meant to be part of our doll family.  I am so thankful to have 'met' such an amazing mom that was willing to part with these two beautiful dolls and add to our 'doll family'.  Adelyn still has not seen the dolls ... it's nap time!  But I am sure I'll be updating with a picture of her reaction.  I can't wait !!!   And Adelyn and I will def. find a way to pass on the love - in our own way.  That is what we do.  Someone does something kind for you, it's your duty to turn around and so something kind for someone else.  That is the lesson I want to teach my daughter, and it's a powerful one and something she will always remember.  Thank you AG and thank you, Dawn!

Love at first sight ...

Going back in time, just a bit, this was Adelyn's facial reaction to receiving Ava at Christmastime!  Wish you could hear the reaction - but this picture is worth 1,000 words.  Love at first site, for sure.

Welcome to my daughters imagintion!

I have decided to start a blog about my 4 1/2 year old daughter and her very lucky dolls.  Adelyn's dolls, are currently, on a train ride heading to a dance contest where her twins Kit Kat and Ritka are performing.  Adelyn's dolls have daily adventures going everywhere from the Grand Canyon to being featured on Nanny 911.   Watching her play, use her imagination, and simply enjoy her childhood is something worth blogging about.   This is something to remember. 

 Let me introduce you to the cast of this blog.  First, and most important, my 4 1/2 year old beautiful, smart and very creative little girl - Adelyn.  Adelyn is the light of our lives, our oldest child and only daughter she is a bit spoiled --- but she deserves it!   You will get to know Adelyn very well if you continue to follow this blog!

 Now here is Ava.  Ava was Adelyn's Christmas present this year. Ava is Adelyn's first 'big girl' American Girl doll.  Ava get's into trouble, a lot, and you often find her in 'time out'.  

 This is Erica.  Erica was MY american girl doll when I was growing up.  I like to think of her as the 'queen bee' of Adelyn's doll house.  She often uses Erica as the babysitter for the bitty babies and she is considered the 'oldest' of her dolls - which make sense ... she is about 20 years old.  =)  Nothing makes me happier then watching my daughter play with this very special doll.

 Here are the bitty twins, named Ritka and Kit Kat.  These twins were purchased in Chicago at the American Girl doll store for Adelyn's 2nd birthday.  Thank you Aunt Tessie.  :)  These girls are currently 'teething' and going to preschool ... at the same time - so they can be a bit cranky. 

And to finish off our cast, for now, here are the "Lucy's" - we have two Lucy's.  One was mine was I was a little girl and the other was Adelyn's first birthday present.  They share a name because, well, they are identical.  Lucy's babies are often 'kidnapped' by Adelyn's little brother ... and poor Eli has even been put in jail.  But that doesn't stop him.