american girls in chicago

8:38 AM

ahhhh...the american girl store in chicago. words cannot describe this slice of little girl heaven. this was my first experience in this store...and holy cow. even i was impressed. (and a little overwhelmed.) as much as i had wanted to bring her, the moment i walked through the doors of this store i knew we had made the right decision to leave may home with her grandmas. you definitely need one-on-one parenting in that store! (honestly, the minute we boarded the train, i knew we made the right decision about may. poor birdie would have gotten so sick!)

we ended our fun-filled weekend with ryan's special birthday brunch at the american girl cafe. yes, there is a cafe...along with a hair salon for your doll and 2 floors of pure little girl bliss! the brunch was amazing. even though the flu bug had hit dan & i by this point and we couldn't really eat...the food looked incredible. the girls had a fabulous time and ryan felt like a princess.

and that, my friends, is all that matters!

kaylen got her own seat, crown and birthday balloon. how cute is that??

a spot of tea for kaylen

and baby natalie too..

heart shaped pancakes for the birthday girl

i mean just look at that cake!

baby natalie got a balloon too

"is it my birthday yet?"

happy girl

silly girl

i had to get one last shot of them in their fancy coats. i honestly do not exaggerate when i say at least 50 people stopped us throughout the weekend to say how cute they looked in their coats. if they didn't stop to tell me, i heard them whispering as we walked by. even men stopped to tell me! someone even stopped to take their picture. (random and just a little creepy, ha) a lot of women stopped to comment on ryan's muff. (we had left lil's in the car, boo) how they used to have one when they were little and how you just don't see people dressing their kids like this anymore. i am here to say the hauck girls (and molly) are bringing back the fancy coats and muffs. i think there is a certain innocence about them and i feel this hard world we live in could use a little more of that!