our all american girl

As an early Christmas gift from Grandmom, she treated Anna and I to a day in the Big Apple….not only a great day with Grandmom and gorgeous 60 degree weather in December (WHAT?!?!) but we travelled with Nana Anne (mom’s super friend) to go to the American Girl Doll Store.

Anna’s excitement could barely be contained as I woke her to put her in the van at 4:50 am…she went back to sleep til about 5:30, but after that, she was too amped.  She was a great traveller and we drove straight through to Staten Island to catch the ferry across the Hudson River….above is a pic on the ferry going to the city.

Once we arrived, we put Anna in the stroller and began our trek from Times Square to the store itself – and of course, the sounds of the city, the warmth and the gentle rhythmic bobbing of the sidewalk cracks instantaneously put our american girl to sleep.  She took a nice little 30 minute nap as we leisurely strolled the city streets (I hadn’t been in 2.5 years, so it was fun to remind myself of why NYC is so exciting).

We arrived at the store and this is what Anna looked like.  Seriously out cold.  No response to anyone calling her name.  No response to “we’re here!”  

So I set her up facing that HUGE picture of the American Girl Doll, gently shook her and said, “Anna, we’re at the Doll Store…”  I wish, just wish I had thought to put my video on my phone, because she cracked her eyes open, saw the big doll and literally leaped into my arms gasping with delight.  She was laughing and sputtering and smiling all at the same time.  She was awake.

Inside the store, we carefully navigated all three shopping levels and browsed the selection – although I’m pretty sure she had a good idea of which one she liked before even entering.  Let me tell you, this girl can shop.  Seriously.  She could shop all y’all under the table – any day.  She’s a browser.  A looker.  A comparer. An admirer.  I think she got that gene from mom-mom Smith.  She wore me out…but it was too much fun watching her delight in each new thing around each corner.

In the end, she choose the Kanani doll – the 2011 doll of the year (which means it won’t be available after 12/31).  She is the Hawaiian doll, and to tell you the truth, I don’t think she meant too, but she couldn’t have picked a doll that looked more like her.  Anna has beautiful creamy coffee-like skin, brown eyes and wavy butterscotch hair – as does the doll.  People by Rockefeller Center were commenting how beautiful Anna is and how she picked a doll that looked like her.

Mom treated us all to a delicious chili dog lunch by the fountain as we people watched.  Anna thought the “statue of liberty statue” lady was funny – and we saw Elmo and Dora walk by as well.

We continued on our journey after refueling and saw gingerbread houses, the Lego store, the Hello Kitty store, Christmas window displays,

SEPHORA to try on some makeup,

and to the mega Toys R Us in Times Square where we rode the indoor ferris wheel!

We ate dinner and by that time the sun was setting – so as we walked back to the subway, we were all treated to the lights of Times Square at night…at Christmas.  We had a fabulous day, and my American Girl is very thankful (as is her mama) for the early present of getting to spend a day with Grandmom and Nana Anne watching my baby delight in the city for the first time.