American Girl Dolls

[dizagain]

We LOVE AG around here! DD's 8 and 10 have Bitty Babies, Molly, and Samantha. They had all the Bitty Baby accessories at one time but now we're down to one crib and a box of clothes to play with - the rest is packed away. Actually we just watched the video of the girls getting the dolls for Christmas 71/2 years ago...sigh...

They want another doll each for Christmas, so it's time to spread the news to Grandma!! She'll go nuts with excitement as she believes every little girl should get a new doll for Christmas!

 

[disneyatl]

Ansley got her first one when she was 8 for Christmas from her grandparents. Last Christmas she had to have Kailey too so now she has two.

I've been wanting to take her to Chicago for a mother/daughter bonding moment (figured daddy wouldn't be too into American Girl Place). I hope to be able to do that this fall.

 

[northern michigan]

My 2 dd's have bitty baby, one of the original american girl dolls, Kirsten and Kit. I can't imagine owning all of them like the family posted earlier. You'd need extra insurance on all that, not to mention the dolls would need there own room (maybe there own house).

How do you all like the hopscotch dolls?

Anyone have both an american girl doll and a my twin doll? Which do kids prefer?

 

[llij]

Northern Michigan,

To answer your question about having an american girl doll and a my twinn doll....... My neice has both a she much prefers the American girl doll. My twinn dolls are bigger and it was hard to find items for her doll (at craft shows) vs. for American girl dolls. She did really love her My Twinn doll, it just turns out that in this past year she has taken a shine to American girl instead.

It turns out the My Twinn went bankrupt shortly before Christmas this past year. We found out the hard way, as we had orders in for her Christmas gifts! Thankfully, they ended up honoring their orders! Bankruptcy was too bad as I liked their dolls.

My Aunt got the hopscotch dolls for her granddaughter, but she says that they look kinda funny. I haven't seen one in person myself so I don't really know......

 

[Pooh's Pal]

We have Molly and Samatha and lots and lots of clothes that Grandma aquired! Although my DD Mollie is now almost 18, those dolls still sit on a bench in her room.
Someday they will go to my granddaughters...hopefully!

 

[Az Pirates]

Originally posted by northern michigan
Anyone have both an american girl doll and a my twin doll? Which do kids prefer?

I have three girls.
My oldest two have Kirsten and Molly and their complete collections. (Gifts from Grandma) It does take up a LOT of space. The top shelf of both walk-in closets is pretty much all AG stuff!

All three girls have a Bitty Baby and my youngest DD has the Bitty Twins too.

They also each have a My Twinn doll.

My oldest two are teens now - but if I remember correctly - the Bitty babies got the most play time.
They would occasionally change clothes and settings on the AG dolls, but used them more as a display in their rooms.
The My Twinn dolls usually just sat on their beds - looked cute when the bed was actually made!

None of them really spent a ton of time playing with any kind of doll though - so may not be a fair sample.

 

[Tink&Belle's Mom]

I have a question for those who have one of the dolls with long hair that is NOT braided: how difficult is it to keep the hair looking nice? My older daughter (10) has Kirsten, and after she took the hair out of the braids, it began to get "nappy" very quickly. We had it re-braided when we went to the Chicago AGP, and I told her it was never coming out again! LOL She also has Kit, and her hair is still just as beautiful as when she got it almost 2 yrs ago now, though.

My younger DD (6) has been wanting one, but is not as careful with her dolls as her sis. Still trying to decide whether or not I need to "encourage" her to get a doll with braided hair for managebility sake! Any suggestions?

By the way, we made an overnight trip to Chicago for visting the store and went to the Shedd's Aquarium, too. We loved the time at the store--even my husband enjoyed it. But I don't think he will be too upset to let us go without him if we can work another trip this fall with my mom and neice. We went in early November, and they of course already had Christmas decorations up. It was lovely. If you can, I would really recommend going to the restaurant for a meal or tea. Very fun!

 

[katerkat]

We got the magazine when I was a kid and I read all the books - for all three dolls that existed back then! I wanted them so badly, but Mom said no way. (OK, I cut my Barbie's hair a little bit...and my sister's used nail polish on my stuffed dog.)

I do have the paper dolls for all three of the ones that were out back then - looks like there's a couple more I need to buy!

 

[N.Bailey]

I got my daugher Kirsten (I believe, is that the blond?) a few years ago. I bought her tons of clothes on eBay for her doll. Some came with matching hair pieces too. The outfits were much cheaper, running somewhere around $15.00 each. Much cheaper than through the company, and there really were (at least then) a lot of cute outfits to choose from.

The doll has been packed away in her box for years now though. Not something my 12 year old is interested in anymore.

 

[goofy4tink]

M 10 y/o dd started with Bitty Baby, then got Samantha, American Girl Today (red hair, blue eyes), Kit. I just ordered Nellie for her for her Oct. birthday. She still loves them.

 

[deedee67]

My daughters (ages 10 and 8) are actually playing with their American Girl Dolls right now. They have Felicity, Kit, Molly and Samantha. They use our spare guest room to set up all of the dolls' furniture and accesssories. They have the beds, tables, desks, etc. They also have the Bitty dolls (which were the only baby dolls they ever really played with).

We went to the New York City American Girl Place when it opened last November. It was a mob scene (it was the day after Thanksgiving). We loved it and look forward to going again when it is less crowded. They have a restaurant and a theater with a play about the American Girls.

I think they are wonderful products. I love how they encourage my girls to read about different times in history.

 

[missypie]

If you use a wig brush on their hair, it should always look beautiful.

As for a place to keep the dolls, when we added on a room we built a wall of book shelves, etc. and included about a dozen deep drawers. Most of them live in the drawers, along with a ton of outfits in zip lock bags. I've said no to the furniture, etc. because we truly have no place for that.

 

[Madi100]

Originally posted by northern michigan
My 2 dd's have bitty baby, one of the original american girl dolls, Kirsten and Kit. I can't imagine owning all of them like the family posted earlier. You'd need extra insurance on all that, not to mention the dolls would need there own room (maybe there own house).

How do you all like the hopscotch dolls?

Anyone have both an american girl doll and a my twin doll? Which do kids prefer?

We have two Hopscotch Hill Dolls one for each girl. Quite honestly, they don't get played with much. They are very wobbly. When DD has friends over they play with them, but not when it's just my DD.

 

[Madi100]

Originally posted by Tink&Belle's Mom
I have a question for those who have one of the dolls with long hair that is NOT braided: how difficult is it to keep the hair looking nice? My older daughter (10) has Kirsten, and after she took the hair out of the braids, it began to get "nappy" very quickly. We had it re-braided when we went to the Chicago AGP, and I told her it was never coming out again! LOL She also has Kit, and her hair is still just as beautiful as when she got it almost 2 yrs ago now, though.

My younger DD (6) has been wanting one, but is not as careful with her dolls as her sis. Still trying to decide whether or not I need to "encourage" her to get a doll with braided hair for managebility sake! Any suggestions?

By the way, we made an overnight trip to Chicago for visting the store and went to the Shedd's Aquarium, too. We loved the time at the store--even my husband enjoyed it. But I don't think he will be too upset to let us go without him if we can work another trip this fall with my mom and neice. We went in early November, and they of course already had Christmas decorations up. It was lovely. If you can, I would really recommend going to the restaurant for a meal or tea. Very fun!

We have Kailey and we have an American Girl of Today doll with long hair. We've not had problems with either one of their hair, and it is down all of the time and played with. However, we only use a wire wig brush on their hair. That is a very specific rule with the dolls. The only one we've had problems with is Lindsey. She has short hair, and it is frizzy almost.

 

[Madi100]

Oh, and to the person who talked about getting outfits on ebay, may I suggest that you check out the sale section at American Girl website. I watch the clothing very closely on ebay, and I've not usually seen it go cheaper than what you can get it at their website. In fact, most of the times if it is retired, it goes for more. People buy the sale stuff just for the purpose of selling it on ebay. So, cheap out the sale section. They just had a huge sale, but now there isn't as much to choose from.

Disney and American Girls seem to be my 'hobbies". Suppose, I could have found anything cheaper???

 

[eeyore45]

HI! I bought an American Girl Doll on ebay (Samantha) for my DD who was 6 at the time, I set a price limit, and I wanted a doll she could play with - I won!! The doll game with 35 outfits (most homemade, but again, that was my intention, doll for dd to play with) Well, I was new to ebay, and didnt look at the details closely (shipping wasnt bad, and it was in the country other items I've been nailed with before I learned!!) The doll came from a smoke filled home!! The smell nearly knocked you over... and I washed, and sprayed fabreeze, and I set the doll and clothes outside, every now and then, it still smells (2 years later!!)

Now Samantha's hair has also become quite nappy, the texture is icky - I live near the Chicago store (well by train and walking a mile!!) so we've been, and I thought I could get advice there on the hair, just what you have been saying, only use water and wig brush on thier hair!!

I do know that I could replace the head, send her to the AG hospital, I think its only $35 I plan on doing this when I'm sure DD will respect and love the doll, which is after I save money from our wdw vacation!! lol!!

 

[Tink&Belle's Mom]

Thanks for the advice--we did learn that about the water and wig brush (after the fact, of course). But I just saw the new Nellie doll, and I think that may be the one to start DD6 with this Christmas. Short hair, but she looks different from Kit, so as not to cause problems with DD10. Nellie is really lovely!

I agree with the comment about the two hobbies--American Girl and Disney. Could it get much more expensive??

 

[Madi100]

Originally posted by Tink&Belle's Mom
Thanks for the advice--we did learn that about the water and wig brush (after the fact, of course). But I just saw the new Nellie doll, and I think that may be the one to start DD6 with this Christmas. Short hair, but she looks different from Kit, so as not to cause problems with DD10. Nellie is really lovely!

I agree with the comment about the two hobbies--American Girl and Disney. Could it get much more expensive??

I'm not sure what comment about water you are talking about. I missed that one. I'll share with you something I learned just last month. You should not get their faces wet. Their eyes are metal, and if you get those wet, they can rust.

And, did you also know that the American Girl company stands behind their products? I bought an outfit for my daughter when she was three. Two years after I called because the fastener came off of the outfit. I called customer service to see if it was possible to get just the fastener, and they told me to just send back the outfit, and they'd replace it.

 

[Hillbeans]

These dolls are a real sore point for me in my husband's family.

My 10 and 7 YO niece are obsessed with these, and now want one for any occasion (ie, birthday, christmas, etc). These dolls cost around $100 not to mention all of the accessories and there's no way i'm spending that kind of money on dolls that these girls play with and trash. It may be different if they collect them, but I did not have $100 dolls, I had $2 barbies growing up.

My husband gets so mad at his mom because she buys the girls these dolls and 10 minutes later the hair is pulled out of the bows....and what makes it worse is that my SIL and BIL live on close to nothing and have holes in their shoes.

Talk about priorities out of whack. I refuse to buy any of this overpriced stuff.

Sorry, vent over - off soapbox.

 

[N.Bailey]

Originally posted by Madi100
Oh, and to the person who talked about getting outfits on ebay, may I suggest that you check out the sale section at American Girl website. I watch the clothing very closely on ebay, and I've not usually seen it go cheaper than what you can get it at their website. In fact, most of the times if it is retired, it goes for more. People buy the sale stuff just for the purpose of selling it on ebay. So, cheap out the sale section. They just had a huge sale, but now there isn't as much to choose from.

Disney and American Girls seem to be my 'hobbies". Suppose, I could have found anything cheaper???

Hi Madi100,
I just wanted to clarify my earlier post. I wasn't buying American Girl outfits on eBay. I was buying homemade ones. A lot of people were making them and selling them at the time we bought our doll. I'm not sure if they do now though. Granted, they will NOT hold a dollar value that the authentic ones do, but it allowed us to get lots of outfits for a fraction of the cost and we got some really cute outfits.