This past weekend it happened. I promised myself I wouldn’t ever give in to the insanity and low and behold when I least expect it — she entered our lives. Last week while on (what I thought was a harmless) vacation Emi somehow ended up coming back with her:

Sure she’s not Barbie but she’s Barbie-like, and it’s a slippery slope, my friends. I’ll just go ahead and put it out there…I hate Barbie! Admittedly though, I can’t really pinpoint why.



Oh yeah. That’s why.
Yes, in my eyes Barbie is a ho. I can’t help but snowball the effect of Barbie’s potential influence on Emi. For some reason I feel if she plays with Barbie dolls she might grow up having conversations like this:
Kristin: OMG! I totally went to get my hair done the other day and I ran in to Lauren who was…brace yourself…wearing the exact same thing she wore 8 days ago!! Can you believe it?
Heidi: Shut up! Like how can she live with herself? So I might quit fashion school. I don’t really care for having to think about stuff after two o’clock.
Enter American Girl dolls. Worldly, not shallow. Fashionable, yet demure. Intelligent, but not snobbish. Not only do American Girls promote great self-image and confidence but many of their dolls teach young girls about important historical events. Undoubtedly, you can expect your daughters to be holding such conversations as below while playing with American Girl Dolls.
Kaya: The idea that there are a finite number of discrete human populations, that individuals worldwide can be definitively lumped together, is ridiculous.
Felicity: I do agree that race is a social construct–loosely based on a collectively perceived reality, but in brief, I think that not “believing” in race is dangerous and irresponsible.

Last week I posted about American Girl’s Shine On Now initiative. This week I wanted to tell you about their new My American Girls. This new line lets your create your own doll. I was lucky to create this one from American Girl and it eerily looks just like Emi. I’m saving it for her birthday but I know she is going to love having a mini me.

American Girl has generously offered a doll to giveaway to one of our Mayhem & Moxie readers. In the spirit of Shine On Now, please tell me about a deserving young girl you know and how she helps others. Or how you and your family helps your community, big or small. The winner will get to create their own My American Girl doll. The giveaway will end July 29, 2010 at midnight PST.

Don’t forget you can still add stars to the Shine On Now initiative until July 31, 2010. Please help them give $1 million to four worthy causes.
American Girl generously provided me with my own My Girl Doll, and one to giveaway. However all opinions and content expressed here are purely my own.
Kacey