American Girl...I was so looking forward to going to this store...I was so excited to show Maddie all the dollies love...and I had heard that there was a doll for EVERY girl...so this put me over the top...we were at the Mall of America and Maddie and I headed to the American Girl store...Max and Chad headed to Lego land...I could hardly walk fast enough...I have been searching for a doll that looks like Maddie since the day she was born...I have searched the internet for dolls went to little stores, big stores and never have I found a doll like Maddie...it is in the eyes that I have been searching...I have found Down syndrome dolls on the internet but they do not look like Maddie they are wrinkled around the eyes...and they exaggerate Down syndrome traits...and not in a beautiful way...my Maddie is beautiful and deserves a doll that is her and reflects her...I had a blonde hair doll when I was younger and the doll even had green eyes...I loved her...but finding a light brown blue eyed doll with almond eyes has been VERY challenging...so this was it...I just knew I could find the doll...of course Maddie is as excited as me! so we enter the store and I am immediately overwhelmed...by the people the dolls...off in the distance I see a doll with no hair and in a wheelchair...so I thought for sure there would be a doll with light brown hair and blue almond eyes...we walk past the hair salon for dolls...past the coffee shop for dolls we go up and down the escalator...and learn there are a variety of dolls and babies...but in my search I could not find one doll with light brown hair and blue almond eyes...so a sales associate stops me and asks if I need help...I ask if they have a doll with Down syndrome...I am not sure why time goes into slow motion at this point but it does...she says no but we have a doll that has no hair! I giggle at her and say Maddie has hair! I need a baby with light brown hair and blue almond eyes...she said no but maybe someday...someday does not work for my little girl...today I need a doll that looks like her...her favorite doll is on its last leg! she is a Japanese doll with almond brown eyes and black hair...which she has successfully eaten...I know gross but it is a habit we are trying to break...her other fav doll has bright pink hair also that she eats quite frequently...i know Maddie does not care...but I do...I bought her a cabbage patch doll with light brown hair and blue eyes, glasses and cute dress that matches her...but she has not taken to this doll...the love of the cabbage patch doll -is not...I love cabbage patch dolls when I was a kid...so we left the American store with no doll...with no representation of Maddie...I will not settle for a doll that is not perfect...I have this thing about dolls...I love them and I want my daughter to have the perfect doll to love and help keep her safe...I am not sure if American doll can call themselves American doll when it does not represent all American girls...really it would not be hard to make a light brown blue eyed doll...with a touch of almond...
I agree...they need to make a doll like that! Maybe you should send this post to American Girl or write them....I think you are on to something here! We get the magazine and Renee is always writing them. It is a great magazine...
ReplyDeleteBy the way, we went to the store downtown Chicago once...I was so overwhelmed I could not even think straight! :)
LOL...I have not heard of American Girl before, never knew there was such a doll store out there. Interestingly enough, I have three daughters and not one of them took an interest in dolls.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was 8 I got a cabbage patch doll, they were all the rave back then weren't they! I still have her, on my dresser :)
I hope you can find a doll perfect for Maddie.
I hear ya...maybe you should make a suggestion to them, it would be great publicity for American Girl Dolls and your Maddie would get her doll and that would be a win-win :-) I hope you find the perfect doll for your perfect little girl. Emily has been really into dolls lately but she hasn't shown a preference for any one in particular and just like you, I want her to have a favorite doll like I did when I was little :-)
ReplyDeleteWhen Emma wanted a doll to have an insulin pump like she does her mother contacted Mattel because they made the breast cancer Barbie. She felt that they would be sensitive about accommodating other issues too. They weren't. But after a concerted effort to put pressure on them, they decided to offer the accessories (a pump, a continuous glucose monitor, etc). (https://www.facebook.com/DiabeticBarbie) The campaign has been a success that has lended to to other dolls being "diabetic" too. It wouldn't hurt to ask if they would consider making a Down's syndrome doll (not necessarily a Barbie). It seems to becoming a niche market for them. They may just be open to the idea.
ReplyDeleteMaddie is a doll!
ReplyDeleteClaire has a few dolls and goes through stages where she'll tote them everywhere, but her favorite toys don't stay favorites for long. I would love a doll that looks like her, but I don't think she'd care a bit, especially since her favorite doll is a boy. :)
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