Our Easter vacation to Louisiana was also the special occasion of Leslie Mykael's 2nd birthday. We decided we would put lots of effort in the kids' 2nd, 5th and 16th birthdays...not sure why. This birthday celebration still has Monique and I talking, and we put the thing together! We started thinking for a moment...hmmm...business venture.
A few weeks ago we visited American Girl, an upscale doll boutique that now has a store near us at a mall. I saw it from afar on a mall visit, and said, "Hey, there is that store I have heard about, let's check it out." Why did I say that!?! It is a little and big girl's fantasy... a huge store of all these dolls that have stories and books on the doll, all the dolls' stuff, a restaurant where doll and mommy can visit and dine together, even a real salon for girls to bring the doll in for a hair-do. I thought to myself "what a racket," as I saw the check-out line backed up with folks with armsful of the pricey $100 dolls and shoes and clothes, etc. that cost what real items cost. I thought, "what happened to this recession we are facing." Then, Leslie Mykael, who has never been truly passionate about any toy, except her brother's dinos, seemed to be under some hypnotic trance that she would not snap out of. 15 minutes and almost $100.00 later, I was a grandfather to a baby girl!! She even had a diaper bag with sippy cup, cloth diapers, onesies, you name it.
So this doll was the muse or inspiration for an all-girl party that would involve dolls and lots of pink.
Below, the day before her Saturday party, Leslie helps us get organized and decorate.
On task making her fave...banana nut muffins.
The 7 girls were asked to bring their favorite doll for a doll and mommy fashion show, in addition to a required RSVP to receive their special parting gift. Leslie had a registry set up at American Girl's website for those that might give a gift. She got so many of her requests. Boxes greeted us in Louisiana, which we knew would be so exciting for her.
Monique found these pink chairs, hand-painted each girl's name on them, as well as adorned each with ribbon and tulle for a dramatic effect. It was the coolest parting gift. Leslie's had extra designs and ribbon that resembled a bride's wedding dress train.
Leslie greets her cousin, McKenzie. She hugged all her guests as they came in and the two that came a little upset because it was their nap time, Leslie, rubbed their faces and shoulders to comfort them. She is too much.
Cousin Kalayah
Cousin Zoie. She and Quadson were born the same day in 2003, so we call them twins. Even though they only see each other when we visit Louisiana and can get them together, they share so many character and personality traits, it is as if they are really twins. She just knows how to ride horses and milk cows...Quadson does not.
Girlfriend Kelsey, Girlfriend Tiara and Cousin Madison from New Orleans.
The girls begin to take their seats at the table with real lace and linens, candlelight and china. Even with all the breakables, these toddlers rose to the occasion and were little women, not breaking a thing. The centerpiece was a tier of petit fours.
Leslie was most pleased and had a ball. She loves watching and learning from other girls.
Monique's mom makes her rounds to the little divas. We could not believe the transformation we made in that garage. The pink and brown fabric on the walls, the rice paper lanterns, all of it was so beautiful and so simple to accomplish. We really blew our own minds. We hated to take it all down.
The mommy and doll fashion show was a hit. The girls really got into it...many of them surprising their own mothers with their catwalk/runway expertise. Before her guests arrived, we put on the music and showed Leslie how she would walk when the time came for the fashion show. On her own, she kept walking the catwalk, over and over, so for the real show, she was a showstopper.
Here is the baby that started it all. She tries on one of the outfits from the registry. Leslie, who has one of the beginner babies shown above, even inherited one of the American Girl's main dolls from her cousin, Michelle, who is now college-aged. Michelle got the African American doll, Addie, many, many years ago from the store and she decided to pass it down. So Leslie has one of the signature dolls with hair, that is as tall as Leslie, herself. We appreciate Michelle sending this doll, in mint shape down from North Carolina. 
The party had two assitants to the little girls. They were Jolie and cousin, Angelle. They loved their hand-painted visors that was their parting gift.
Kid food.
Adult food.
The girls' table was a vision, with all kinds of goodies and boxes filled with bracelets and rings.
The dolls waited on this bench for their dining mommies.
Even on Easter Sunday, Leslie was still quite reminiscent of the previous day's events.
Easter afternoon, we enjoyed dinner with family, who happened to own a cool mini pick-up truck thingy. I took a spin with all of Quadson's cousins aboard. Quite fun.
