Hello Dolly!

I've always liked dolls.

One of my favorites was a cowboy. I can just barely remember what he looked like but I do remember his clothes. My grandmother made him a pair of jeans, a shirt, a belt and some boots. I think she even made him a hat. Unfortunately his body was made of a rubbery material that was stuffed. Over the years his body disintegrated.

My older sister gave me a Barbie doll back in the day (about 1957 or '58) when Barbie's hair was styled in a "bubble cut." She was so pretty.

My grandmother gave me a large bride doll. She and her dress were lovely. Even after my younger sister colored her cheeks and the hem of her dress with lipstick, that doll was still beautiful to me.

When I was in grade school some of the filling stations in our area gave away or sold (not sure which) little collector dolls with each fill-up. The boxes the dolls came in were octagonal in shape and had a cellophane top so you could see the doll without having to take her out of the box. My younger sister and I had several of those.

Years later, the summer before the Cabbage Patch doll craze hit, Daughter asked for one for her birthday in August. We'd already bought her birthday gifts and told her she might get one for Christmas. That's a story for another day but she did finally get one - with several more to follow.

I have a few of the Cabbage Patch babies myself.

A couple of years or so ago while we were camped at Texas Motor Speedway during NASCAR race week I read an article that the Grand Opening of an American Girl doll store was that weekend in Dallas. After reading the newspaper story I knew the traffic would just be too crazy for me to even suggest going to the store (although I'm sure AD would have taken me if I'd really wanted to go.)

Last week while Son and I were in Texas we visited the store. It's a little girl's dream store. And this Oklahoma Granny liked it pretty well herself!

There's a special little girl in Son's life and she likes the AG Bitty Babies. So we checked out what was available. What cute clothes and oh, my! all the accessories they have to go with the babies.


One of my friends has granddaughters that have some of the AG dolls so I knew already knew a little about them. Each doll comes with a story book about them.

I seem drawn to Kit, the blond doll in this display. Maybe because Daughter is blond or maybe because the outfit she comes in is just so cute. It's the one just to the right of Kit dressed in overalls (a cute outfit that would be perfect for our life in the country.)



I just loved the red dress Kit had on in this display.

Then I saw these historical character dolls - Felicity and Elizabeth. Oh, my goodness gracious! Elizabeth, another blond, just caught my eye.



Her pink riding outfit was so pretty!

Maybe somewhere in the back of my mind I knew I would buy a doll if we went to the store. But I debated and debated over purchasing one. They are kind of pricey, at least for my pocketbook.

I called AD and asked him what he thought. He said if I wanted one, to go ahead and get it.

Still I had to think and think about it.

After I finally decided to make a purchase I had to make a choice - Kit or Elizabeth. Elizabeth or Kit. A couple of the sales girls talked to me about each one. I went back and forth to each display looking and comparing.

Decisions - decisions - decisions.

Kit was the first one I was drawn too. She rather reminds me of My Friend Mandy, a doll Daughter had when she was little.

On the other hand, Elizabeth with those sweet little curls hanging on each side of her face, was from the Revolutionary War period and I love history. Not to mention that cute pink riding outfit.

Finally the decision was made.

Elizabeth traveled back to Oklahoma with me. And she had her pink riding outfit with her too.

Maybe someday Elizabeth will have a friend named Kit come to live here too - along with those overalls.