dolls dolls dolls

I’m a doll lover. There is nothing more to it than that. I never was fond of Barbie, too much hair, make-up, and boobs. When I was tiny I loved my baby dolls, there was Big Baby, Soft Baby, and Little Baby. Then I got my first Corolle doll Maryelle. I followed with three more Corolle dolls that were each loved with great intensity.

When I was ten I wanted an American Girl doll. This doll was the pinnacle of girlhood in my mind, but cost a whopping $82.00, which is a lot when you’re ten. I saved and saved, and finally had enough to get the doll of my dreams - Molly. I’m not sure why the WWII era doll appealed, I looked a lot more like Samantha, and liked Kirsten’s time period most of all, however Molly stole my heart.

As I got older I’ve wondered how she did it. I think it might have been because Molly looks like my grandma, hair color, eye color, glasses, everything. And, my grandma grew up during the same time, and was almost Molly’s age when WWII was in progress.

Molly was (and still is) well loved. She went everywhere with me for almost four years. I think I was the only girl in my junior high that played with dolls, but didn’t care. Then when I was 13, I got Addy. She was the brand new black American Girl doll, a first for American Girl. Addy became Molly’s adopted sister and joined us on our adventures.

Soon I grew out of dolls and started high school. Molly and Addy stayed on my shelves for those years and when I left for college they stayed home. I was finally “too old for dolls.”

But then American Girl did something I wasn’t expecting, they released their first short haired, freckled, Jewish girl! She was the first in a new line of “Girl of the Year” dolls. I had to have her, and I’d name her Rachel. After only a few years of being doll-free, I began to tote around another doll. Molly and Addy weren’t forgotten; they just had a new “sister.” Rachel was my companion through college, and E was very good about always having a doll in tow.

Then this Christmas I fell hard again, my doll obsession grew stronger and I wanted another doll. I knew I didn’t need one; my three dolls were more than enough for one girl. But after I received some Christmas money, I fell into the doll trap again.

Last week I got Violet, my first “American Girl of Today.” Violet will be my travel doll, I’ll send her to other doll lovers all over the world, and she will get to see things I hope to one day see too. Her travel accessories are ready (made by me!) and she already has a list of interested hosts.

At the end of February Violet will leave my side and visit her first location, Victoria Canada. I can’t wait.