A couple months ago I posted about
Mackenzie and her Bitty Baby. She still loves Bitty and brings her many places with us, but her interests have shifted a little lately. I was doing a program on the American Girl company for my P.E.O. chapter and I had borrowed some dolls and accessories from one of our babysitters for a few days. Mackenzie fell in love with those dolls and decided that Bitty needed a big sister. So for the past few months she has been asking, asking, asking to get a big girl American Girl doll. One day she and I were looking around on the website, just looking. We browsed through the historical dolls and the Girl of the Year, Isabelle, but she didn't seem that interested in any of them. I clicked on the My American Girl section (where you can basically build your own) and up popped a picture of a blonde haired doll with glasses. She immediately said, "I want that one, it has glasses just like me!" So I responded, "well do you want it to have brown hair and glasses just like you?" We started looking and found a brown haired, blue eyed, freckled doll that I added glasses too. When the final product popped up on the screen, she was ecstatic, "Mom, it looks just like me, I didn't know there could ever be a doll that looks like me! That's the one I want! Please Mom, please, she looks just like me!" Well, once again, I was ready to hit 'place order' right there, but told her I would have to talk it over with Daddy. We decided that it would be her birthday present but we told her she would have to do some extra chores as well to earn her doll. Boy that was nice getting a couple months of help with no complaining! We also decided that we'd make a trip to the nearest American Girl store to pick out her doll and spend the weekend with my family while we were there. Here are the pictures from our weekend.
Patiently awaiting for the store to open. (L to R) Great Grandpa and Grandma Blom, Rylan, me, my brother Spencer, birthday girl Mackenzie, my Dad & Mom
Mackenzie wanted to bring Bitty along to meet her big sister but didn't want to carry her the whole time - she found the perfect spot in Great Grandma's purse! I think Great Grandma was thrilled!
Uncle Andrew and cousin Elliana - busy, busy busy!
We had a wonderful personal shopping experience with Kathy - she was awesome!
She wanted a picture with Isabelle, the Girl of the Year, but wouldn't do any dance poses.
Kathy helping her find just the right pair of glasses for her doll.
She's ours! Meet Bitty's new big sister, Carrie!
After the shopping, it was time for rides! This one only went around and around, but it whipped around the ends pretty good. Every time she would slide to the outside and just scream/giggle, it was so awesome!
Nick took them both on the log ride, because they wanted to go, but neither of them liked it much. Rylan didn't feel secure in that front seat all by himself and Mackenzie.. I'm not sure why she didn't like it - she was fearless on everything else. This picture was at the end after the final plunge, I love that Nick is smiling and the kids both look uneasy.
This was a like a mini Tower of Terror kind of ride. It brought them up about 15 feet then dropped down little by little. She loved it! Told me it made her tummy jingle!
Rylan and I first went on this coaster, then Nick took them both (we were trying to conserve the points we had so the kids could go on as many rides as possible). Rylan was fine riding by himself on this one and they both loved it! Not sure why this was so much less scary than the log ride but whatever. I got a great photo!
Afterward, we had a great time together at my sister's house.
Right before this picture I had told my kids that their job was to just keep looking at the camera so we could snap as many as possible before Elliana tried to escape. As soon as we plopped her in the middle, she kept saying 'hi' to Rylan, finally getting right in his face saying, 'hi' over and over. I was surprised he was listening to what I said and I had to tell him it was okay to look at her and say hi back! She was so funny!
Sweet, sweet cousins!
One of my favorite I've taken of them in a long time! I had just told them they weren't quite done with pictures and they both made a pouty face. So I pulled up the camera and said, okay freeze that pouty face, I'll take a picture and they both immediately smiled. Go figure!
4 generations of mothers and daughters!
With Great Grandma Blom
Fitting to have a Dairy Queen cake for a Frozen party don't you think?!
She's SIX!
My big girl on her crib quilt. I've taken pictures of her on this quilt since she was 12 days old.
Happy Birthday Mackenzie - we love you so much!
