![\"Rachel](\"https:\/\/www.myhusbandandkids.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/003-300x225.jpg\")
Rachel and Sarah at a friend’s 8th birthday party celebration a few days after I managed to set-up Rachel’s party.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n book a science museum birthday party on Good Friday – it felt a little bit like heresy! \u00a0After another round of feeling guilty, I reconciled to the fact that everything was fine. \u00a0It was better than fine, because Rachel and her friends had a great time!<\/p>\n Back to 2014, Rachel had talked me into a “slumber party birthday party”. \u00a0Hmmm, ok. \u00a0After Sarah Amelia’s b-day, I knew the timeline for prep was coming in fast. \u00a0Of course, I was quickly distracted from that deadline since the rest of life seemed chaotic. \u00a0Like last year, I didn’t seriously think about concrete plans until about 2 weeks from the fast approaching date! \u00a0Around this time, Rachel and I were at Barnes and Noble shopping for another little 8 year old’s b-day party when she informed me that the slumber party was really a “stay up all night party”, and that her and a friend had “made plans that were supposed to be secret”! \u00a0Ok, that was the line in the sand. \u00a0Sleep is precious, and unnecessary interruptions could not be risked. \u00a0By some miracle, there was an “American Girl, girl of the year” display in the store. \u00a0There were miniature versions of the doll and girl of the year story books. \u00a0Rachel was interested and I realized – American Girl doll party! \u00a0OMG – genius!!!!! \u00a0Isn’t this popular now? \u00a0I had seen several Facebook posts of little girls at those parties, so it must be a thing.<\/p>\n At the Barnes and Noble coffee shop, I quickly googled the contact information for American Girl stores and got in touch with a perky representative. \u00a0Lucky for us, there was one opening – the Sunday before her actual birthday! \u00a0I couldn’t book the deluxe party, but the basic option was available. \u00a0It was still pricey, but I felt satisfied that big price = big time. \u00a0While I was on the phone, Rachel had been checking out some Easter books that I had gotten for Sarah Amelia and eating a cupcake. \u00a0After she finished I told her the good news. \u00a0Fortunately (very fortunately), this was even better than a “stay up all night party”. \u00a0YES, \u00a0big money does = big time!<\/p>\n I quickly texted the select inner circle of friends. \u00a0You see, the price on the party was determined by total number of guests, which included the parents. \u00a0No problem, it was cool. \u00a0I think. My husband is extraordinarily generous with kiddo stuff.<\/p>\n The day of the party, we shuffled from a “burgers, brats, and baseball”\u00a0celebration at church to the American Girl doll store. \u00a0Rachel wanted to wear a casual outfit to\u00a0church, because most of the church kids would be dressed casually for the “bbb” party. \u00a0After explaining that her birthday party was indeed a “dressy party”, she agreed to take a nicer outfit to change into before her birthday party.<\/p>\n Here we are – Rachel with her sisters’ doll. She is wearing a little dress from her Great Aunt Nadine \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n For those of you that have never been to an American Girl doll store, let me tell you something, it’s like walking into little girl nirvana. \u00a0The people in charge of setup and display have excelled in manipulating both kids and parents into gladly purchasing lots of finely crafted toys. \u00a0Sarah Amelia already had an American Girl doll, which was a birthday gift from her Great Aunt Margaret. Fortunately, Sarah Amelia was in a sharing mood before the party, because I told Rachel that Sarah would share her doll with her at the party. \u00a0After walking through the entire store (very clever American Girl doll store set-up people – we had to pass by every product on our way to the “party room”), there was the lovely birthday table with the Girl of the Year seated beside the seat of honor for the birthday girl! \u00a0 The doll of the year is “Isabella”, and she is a little dancer in training.<\/p>\n I was really touched with how grown up Rachel seemed. \u00a0She noticed all of the sweet details of the table and was thrilled with her doll. There were “conversation starters” that the little girls read to each other. \u00a0I thought the entire arrangement must be what an old-fashioned Garden Party must be like. \u00a0It was sweet that<\/p>\n Posing with Isabella \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n Rachel was on one end of the table with her doll and my little Sarah Amelia was on the other with her “Bitty Baby”. \u00a0I thought the length of the table was akin to the distance in age, but still connected together by family and friends. \u00a0Of course Rachel bought an accessory for her new doll – a ballet barre. \u00a0Even though I did nothing more than text the mom’s of Rachel’s friends and get our little family there, I did nothing for the party. \u00a0Big money = big time for everyone (including me).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Two ends of the table, but connected by family and friends \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n![\"Here](\"https:\/\/www.myhusbandandkids.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/021.jpg\")
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