Mud Pies & Minivans: The American Girl Experience

From a young age I have always been intrigued by American Girl-The dolls, the accessories, the clothes, the stories, the history, etc. Well, as soon as I found out I was having my first girl(then 2nd, then 3rd, and then 4th), I looked forward to the day when they could also get to experience AG. At first, I thought I was going to have to travel to another state to have my girls get the full experience & then last year they made the big announcement that they would be building an American Girl store with a cafe in my state! I can't help it, I was seriously beyond excited. Well, today was the day the girls finally got to experience AG for the first time (early birthday celebration) & I am ready to give my full review. In short, every little girl should get to experience it at least once in their life.

Well, once reservations were made to go to the AG cafe & store, I did not tell the girls lol. I wanted it to be a complete surprise to them & it definitely was. I had them get all dressed up & then we headed out to the mystery location. When we drove past it their eyes got SO wide. I just don't think we could have gotten out of the car fast enough for them. Now, before I continue I will say make reservations in advance, having to tell a lil' girl that there is no room for her to enjoy the cafe once her eyes have seen it would just be torture. I will also say that for me personally I don't think I could ever go to the store without buying at least a lil' something. It can be a tad pricey though, so just so you know what you are walking into. Also, prepare your child. I raise my kids not to ask for stuff, but they can point out things they like & save for them. Before getting way into the store I think it is a wise idea to let them know, "We might not get anything today" or whatever, just so they are mentally prepared

Once we entered the store, I think I was in just about as much shock & awe as the ladies. There were so many dolls to choose from, books, cds, clothes (doll size & child size), the cafe, a doll salon, & just EVERYTHING a doll could possibly want or need. They were immediately greeted by their wonderful staff & given an official AG sticker. We started looking around the store before checking into the cafe (located inside the store) & I am telling you that every corner had something new to explore. I mean, you can pierce your dolls ears! I also loved how they had something to accommodate everyone (glasses, wheelchair for a doll, boy or girl dolls, every skin color, every eye color, etc).

Soon our name was called to eat. The staff was so friendly & once we were seated they asked the girls if they wanted to borrow a doll to join them for lunch. I thought this was so sweet because not everyone can afford or wants to buy a doll. They let each girl pick their own doll (most of them picked ones who looked like them except Addie who swears up & down that she looks just like me) & then they gave each doll their own high chair like seat so they could really join us for lunch! When the girls ordered their drinks, the server gave their dolls a teacup as well (so cute & they got to take them home). They also had fun little prompting questions cards on the table to help spark fun conversations. The napkins were held together by cute lil' hair bows & the girls got to take those home as well.

They food was absolutely adorable, tasty, & the portions were much larger than I was expecting! For an appetizer the girls got mini muffins & sweet fruit kabobs that they got to dip in yogurt. For lunch they each selected a different dish like butterfly pasta, chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, a salad, & etc. The food was seriously delicious & elegant. We had planned on getting desert (they have make your own cupcake & other cute desserts), but the girls were honestly so stuffed they couldn't lol.

After lunch we headed back out into the store. Like I said before, they have everything. My 2 oldest decided on the Grace doll (she is the girl of the year & they had just seen & fallen in love with her movie the weekend before. Plus, it comes with the first book of her series) & Aidy got heran extra ballet outfit & Ashy opted for a fancy winter outfit. Aussie went with the Kit doll which surprised me, but I think she thought the short hair was super cute. She chose an outfit solely for its yellow shoes lol & she also got glasses for her doll. Our youngest went straight for the Bitty Babies which I think is perfect for a child her age---no hair, lol. She got it some baby clothes & a blanket & it was just perfect for her.As we checked out the wonderful ladies offered to open the dolls for them & they loved carrying them around the store & in the car.

On the way home we definitely had a talk about big girl dolls & the care that goes into them. I explained that we could buy their dolls more accessories & outfits if they show good stewardship. At night, we will definitely be putting the dolls in their own beds so their hair stays beautiful. In a few months who knows, we may even take the dolls back for some dessert & a trip to the doll salon.

It was seriously one of the best experiences with my girls ever! Some even said it was better than Disneyland & like a dream, lol. We will definitely be going back soon! I HIGHLY recommend this experience if you have girls. Ages 6-8 would probably be the best time to start, but all my girls thoroughly enjoyed it!

-M&M Momma