American Girl Experience, Chicago

 For Leah's 6th birthday we decided to GO BIG. American Girl. The girls were so excited. I told Leah her birthday present was the trip. I also said it included dinner at American Girl, and I would pay to have Caroline's hair done in the salon. Anything else she wanted was up to her (though I ended up also agreeing to getting Caroline's ears pierced). Between gift cards from her grandparents, selling her Matilda Jane on facebook, the tooth fairy, and doing chores, she almost earned $300. Juliet also sold some dresses and did some chores and raised $150. Walking around the store, I felt like we were in Pretty Woman for the youngest generation. 

 Leah got Julie and her accessories, and a new dress for Julie. We had to order Caroline's cat, Inkpot and her holiday dress. They weren't in the store since they are about to be retired. We are still on the lookout for her work dress (currently on Ebay for $80). Juliet got Kit's bed, Kit's dog Grace, and her scooter. 

 Juliet also really liked Kit's hat, 

 The dinner was so, so cute. The girls were so excited and loved walking around the store and looking at everything there. 

 The dolls got the royal treatment at the dinner. They got their own chairs, their own tea cups and saucers (that we could keep), and a lot of attention. 

 Juliet was so sweet and wanted to share everything with Kit. 

 This picture was pre-salon experience. 

 I love this picture of Juliet and Kit. 

 We got back to the hotel and opened up all the loot. The girls had so much fun playing with all their new toys while Chris and I drank some beer. 

 Leah and her dolls. 

Leah was adamantly against sleeping in the same bed with Juliet. She was convinced Juliet was going to try to beep her or cry. So, she slept on the couch the first night. The second night, I felt bad having the birthday girl sleep on the couch (even though she didn't mind at all--in fact she said she liked it), so I slept with Juliet and Leah slept with Chris. I woke up in the middle of the night and saw Leah in the left side of the bed, with her dolls and stuffed animals lined up along the middle and right side of the bed. I did a double take, wondering where Chris was, but then I found him, sleeping on his side on the very, very outermost portion of the bed. What a good Daddy.