Surprise!

Waiting on the train with Ivy in hand

One very excited girl

American Girl Magazine Cover Photo Shoot

Bitty Baby Area: Adorable

Adorable Decor with lots of Pink

Appetizer Course

Chocolate Mousse Flower Pot for Dessert

So much fun!

Each year, we give Lily Grace a "Special Back to School Day."  She gives ideas of what she would like to do to celebrate the beginning of a new school year and then we choose one.  Last year, she visited Sweet and Sassy for some hair and nail pampering and had High Tea at at a local tea room with dear friend Claire.  
This year, having moved so close to NYC and making a brief stop in American Girl, we had a pretty good idea what would top her idea list. 
This year, she requested a day at American Girl along with enjoying lunch in their cafe.  Matt and I woke her early and surprised her with the day she requested.  
Matt took the day off and we all boarded the train last Friday and headed to the city.  Lily Grace was absolutely beside herself. She brought along Ivy, who happens to be Julie's best friend and informed her on the train ride that she was going to see  Julie, so not to worry. Matt and I loved watching her excitement and hearing her share it with her doll.  
Once there, Daddy surprised her with Julie, the doll she has been hoping for.  Lily Grace was actually shaking as the clerk rang her up.  Once Julie was in hand and had been thoroughly hugged, off we went to the photo studio.  Lily Grace and her girls (as she calls them) had a photo shoot for their very own American Girl magazine.  SOOOO Cute!  As many of you know, Lily Grace has no problem getting her picture made and is all to happy to pose so this was quite the fun experience, especially with dolls included.  
After her photo shoot, we browsed the store for matching shirts and Lily Grace started a mental wish list.  (ok...not so mental as she asked me to take a picture of certain items she is wishing for in the future)  
Once 12:00 hit, we were off for our lunch reservation.  I must say, it was pretty unbelievable.  They thought of everything!!!!  The dolls were made to feel as special as the guest, right down to having their own chairs and a waiter bring them a cup and saucer place setting.  The food was equally as cute.  The decor was a little girl's fantasy and truly made for a fun and memorable lunch.  
After a few more looks around, we boarded the train for home and Lily Grace enjoyed time with her girls, brushing their hair, reading to them and eventually cuddling them up and falling asleep in my lap.  
It was quite the treat this year that we all enjoyed Back to School day as a family.  No doubt, this move has been a change for all of us and not the easiest on Lily Grace.  Those dolls have been her best friends and as soon as they arrived to the new house and were unpacked, she seemed to feel a little more at ease.  It was quite the blessing to be able to give her such a special day.  Matt and I truly enjoyed it as much as she did.  What a wonderful memory of our little girl, immersed in being just that...a little girl.  The world tries so hard to make her grow up so fast and as parents, we just want her to live in the moment of who she is.  This trip was just that.  We watched our little girl lost in the innocence of imaginative play and the excitement of friends who she gives a voice to.  Thank you God for the blessing of these special memories.  We pray that Lily Grace continues to grow at her pace and not that of the world or its influences.  Thank you for always being with her.
In two short weeks we will take our sweet girl for another special day, the first day of First Grade.