Help me with dolls! (please)

[raynjen]

Sarah,

We gave Noelle her Bitty Baby for her second birthday. She had been "mothering" her stuffed animals for a couple of months already: tucking them in, feeding them, etc. so we knew she was ready. Like you I have a problem with bad hair on dolls (seeing the scalp gives me the creeps) so I really liked the idea of the molded in hair.

The stoller is American Girl (Bitty Baby) as well. My parents bought it for her birthday too ($34, not what I would have spent if we had a Target to shop, but it IS good quality). Another thing that I found I really like about American girl is their sale page - you can find outfits they are discontinuing for as much as 40% off. Nothing at all wrong with the outfits, just last year's styles!

Jen in Okinawa
Mom to Noelle (10/25/01)

[egoldber]

Sarah, you're too kind. You'll note that I neglected to attach the photos of when she dresses ME in the hat and scarves. ;)

[mamahill]

LOL!! I LOVE it, Beth! And do you have tea parties?!

And Jen, Ainsleigh has been mothering anything with eyes for months now. It's hilarious. She tucks her spooky-haired baby, her over-sized Elmo, and Curious George into her Infant-Toddler Rocker along with a red cloth napkin she uses for a blanket (don't even THINK about putting it away), but also doubles as a bonnet, before naps and bed time. Ok, now I'm thinking more about Bitty Baby again... Oh the drama! Good thing I have another month;).

[loewymartin]

I'm glad you started this thread. I bought Alia a Bitty Baby last fall when they had some great sales, but I've been keeping it for her 2nd birthday in May. I have since purchased a few outfits on sale as have my folks. So Alia will be getting a doll and many outfits :-) I can't wait to give it to her, as she is totally ready for a doll. "Big Elmo" (that Elmo from TRU from Christmas time that you bought $x and got Elmo) has become her baby. He is diapered, and sits at her table and chairs to eat.

I had a hard time deciding to spend that much money on a doll. But, I asked some friends and their daughters (at ages 8 and 11) still love their Bitty Babies. They have since graduated on to the bigger AG dolls, but both wanted additional outfits to Bitty Baby for Christmas as they still play/dress them. That convinced me.

My mom purchased a few patterns for Bitty Baby outfits too. Also, most craft fairs have *tons* of AG clothes both for the bigger dolls and Bitty Baby. The sales section of the AG site is pretty good. And if you get on their mailing list they will let you know when things are going on sale. Just be careful of buying on e-bay. Many of those outfits are going for *more* than they originally sold for! But if there's a discontinued outfit you just "have to have" you can look there.

I have to say - I really think I'm going to enjoy the Bitty Baby just as much as Alia :-) I'm looking forward to playing with her like I remember playing with my mom (and having tea parties with my dad :-)).

Michelle - Mom to Alia born 5/16/02

[mamahill]

A SALE?!?! Doh, that would seal the deal. As it is, you've just about pushed me over the edge. I think we'll go Bitty. I've been watching eBay, too, so thanks for the heads up. I'll definitely get on that mailing list - thanks!

Oh, and Ainsleigh loves her gigantic Elmo too! But it's so big!!

[christic]

I just had to join in the girly doll talk!

I wanted to second Jen's recommendation that you release the doll from the packaging before wrapping it for your daughter. Attached is a picture of my daughter Alice on Christmas morning frantically trying to feed her new baby while she's still tied down!

And a funny story...my husband had what he thought was a brilliant idea to take Alice to Target to pick out her doll, which he would then simply take away from her to wrap up for Christmas. I was in the kitchen when they got home and as they drove up to the garage I just saw Alice in her carseat with her new doll propped up in its box right in front of her. She played with it in its box for hours after she got home and miraculously agreed to take her nap without it. He managed to hide it then, but in a closet she can open so she kept finding it and immediately start feeding and caring for the poor thing, all while still in its box. It did finally make it under the tree, along with the doll from the picture which was from her babysitter. After they were both free from their boxes Alice decided they should live together in her new tunnel, and they stayed in there for days...with frequent feedings of course!

I'm beginning to question what sort of twisted mothering skills I'm passing on to her...?

Chris

[brubeck]

Chris I love that picture! Your daughter looks so much like mine and I could see my DD doing the exact same thing!

How cute!

Of course my daughter hates dolls (hence I'm not joining in the girly discussion) and prefers to drag her Buzz Lightyear around everywhere. I got her a Barbie for her 3rd birthday and all she does is undress her. although Barbie's connection to the Toy Story 2 movie does help somewhat with her appeal. :)

[sugarsnappea]

We got DD a BB for her new baby present. It is definitely a hit. One thing worth mentioning- the doll w/dark brown hair/brown eyes/lt.skin actually has black hair. I was trying to get the doll that most closely resembled my daughter and this one didn't. :)

[egoldber]

Oooh. That's the one I was going to get. Hmmm....

[Kimberly H]

Another vote for loving having a girl!

Except right now it's all for ME as Mia doesn't like stuffed animals and throws her dollies on the floor or pushes them away. She won't even sit at the same end of the playpen as her doll.

So much for spending mega $$ on getting good quality Asian baby dolls from Corolle, LOL! Oh, and the Asian Cabbage Patch bathtub baby from Australia, and...

I refuse to believe she won't play with dolls eventually, especially since I just picked up a doll stroller at KB Toys for 50% off because they're moving to the new mall next month.

I just wish the Bitty Baby they recommend to me for Mia looked more Asian. Rats.