A Confession

I have a confession to make.  I'm obsessed with a doll.  It's true.  And not just any doll, and not really a specific doll; a type of doll.  The Waldorf doll.  

The basic premise behind the Waldorf doll is that it's a simple, soft body doll with very basic features.  It's typically made with natural materials (think: no synthetics, typically a cotton body with a wool stuffing and generally hair made of mohair.)  It is intentionally simple in style to encourage imaginative play.  I am a big, big fan of some imaginative play.  Please do not be confused - my children have an abundance of crappy, plastic, Wal Mart toys.  However, time and again, their favorite things to do are play Legos, paint, color, draw, Play Doh, "make movies", play outside, swim, or read books.  All imaginative activities that require almost no toys.  (So I guess another post could be "Why we spend money on a bunch of garbage my kids don't play with".)  I also think this is one of the reasons my boys are so smart - they use their imaginations every single day, and are encouraged to do so.  They would rather make paper angry birds and "play" angry birds with the things they've created then to play the video game.  That makes my heart happy.  Back to my doll. . . 

Apparently I'm not the only person obsessed with these dolls, because they are expensive!  Do you know my friend KJ?  She gets obsessed with things too.  She was obsessed with a Bamboletta Doll for her sweet little girl Paisley.  I'm quite certain I probably sent her a text telling her she was I.N.S.A.N.E. for her lust for the doll.  She should probably text me today and rub that in, because I am so in her shoes.  KJ got P her dolly, and she is absolutely adorable.  I don't even want to know what she paid for that doll.  I'm going to try to make one.  (Stop rolling your eyes.)

There is something about a handmade gift that cannot be replaced.  My mother knows this well.  She made David and Henry each a "Gigi blanket".  And they are probably my boys' favorite possessions.  And I'm sure one will come for Jack.  She likely did not anticipate needing to make so many blankets in such a short period of time when she started that lovely gift idea. . . My mother is much more adept at sewing than I, so if I can't figure out the doll I suspect Gigi will come through.

I really want to be able to give our sweet girl one of these cute dollies to play with.  Which means I better get started, because if she's going to play with it before she turns ten I will need to get on it. . .