Monday, March 3, 2014

Please excuse me while I return to my childhood....

Boys.
I have two of them.
(actually, three...if you count my husband...lol :)
Even though they are both grown men, they will always be my boys.

Both of my boys have boys...the oldest has two.
My youngest has one.
I love my boys and my grand boys dearly, surely you must know I do.

Then along came sweet Olivia...my precious grand daughter.
Finally, a little girl in the family!



She just turned five last December.
She and her brother Parker, who recently turned seven, live near Nashville...
...about 8 hours from here.
It was a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving when we saw them last.

I am so excited to be seeing them this weekend!
They are meeting us at our cabin in VA...a closer drive for them.
We will be celebrating birthdays, Christmas, Valentine's Day...
...and Easter, since its right around the corner!

 Sure, it's fun buying gifts for boys...
...it seems I've been doing it all of my life...
...but there is something I've missed out on...until Olivia came along.

Look what MawMaw has for her!


Oh my goodness...can I just tell you how much I adore this baby doll?!

My sweet daughter-in-love (I am borrowing this expression from my sweet blogging friends),
told me that Olivia loves to nurture and mother, and that she would like a baby doll to take care of.
Well, this grandma made it her mission to find just the right one.


After researching and reading review after review, I think I found her!
Amazon gives her a five star rating...JC Toys La Baby "Flower".


What a precious little mouth and chin...she looks so real!
Did I tell you how much I love this little baby doll???


Look at her realistic, adorable hands and feet!
Oh my goodness...each extremity is unique and looks surprisingly real.


I wanted her to be cuddly and somewhat floppy like a real baby...
...so reality stops above the knees and elbows.
Her body is stuffed and weighted in her little bottom.
Your imagination must take over when you change her diaper or her outfit...
...the sacrifice if you want soft and cuddly...oh well.


I bought about 10 real baby outfits at the Goodwill Store for less than $2 each.
She wears size newborn...they fit her perfectly...
...and I tried each one on her.
Yes. Each. One.
That little girl who still lives within me seems to be alive and well!


Is she precious or what?


Can I just tell you how much.....oh yeah....I guess you already know that, right?

I just cannot wait to see Olivia's face when she opens up her new baby doll!
I wonder if she will let MawMaw play too?

42 comments:

  1. What a beautiful gift! That doll looks just like a new baby!

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    1. She really does! I can't wait 'til she sees her!

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  2. That is the sweetest doll, what little girl wouldn't be happy with that!!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Jill...I can't wait to give it to her :)

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  3. Hi Twin! Sounds like you are going to have a wonderful weekend with your precious family! (I had never heard of the expression 'daughter in love' before...I like it!) Olivia is just going to love your gift. And you are being so generous with the outfits too! I remember dressing and undressing my dolls, that was half the fun :)

    I sure hope she'll share with you, you two are going to have a blast. Have a safe trip, and I hope you'll have good weather too.
    Blessings my friend!
    Ceil

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    1. Twin...haha...I love it! I certainly am looking forward to it...I think Olivia will let me play...she's a sweetie pie :) I hear the weather is going to be nice too...yay!

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  4. Looks like a perfect little doll. How fun that it can wear real baby clothes.

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    1. I am so glad she can wear the real clothes too...baby doll clothes are expensive and most are cheaply made. The ones I got at Goodwill look brand new!

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  5. Yes, that is a darling little doll!! I love it when they're stuffed and weighted so that they feel 'real.' Such a sweet doll!

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    1. She really feels like a real baby when you hold her!

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  6. I want one!!!! I know exactly how you feel......two boy, one husband.....but I have no grandchildren yet...:( Everything is brown at my house or camouflage...:( You are so blessed to have grandchildren and also a little girl. The baby doll is the prettiest one I have ever seen.....you did good....:)

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    1. Aww...thanks...it is always so much fun buying gifts for her. I hope you get a little girl in your family one day!

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  7. Beautiful doll and, last night when I was so tired while visiting, I thought it was a photo of your little grandgirlie as an infant. LOL! Glad that I didn't comment then.

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    1. Vee...it's funny you should say that...when I showed her mommy a sneak peek at the baby doll, she said she thought she looked a little bit like her when she was a baby...lol! You wouldn't have been too far off!

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  8. Oh, my goodness. I'm in love with that baby doll. So wonderfully real. Your granddaughter will be in love. I may have to buy me one for my granddaughter when she gets old enough to "nurture" anything. Precious!

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    1. Gayle, you know, you could always go ahead and get that baby doll...and "keep it" until she gets big enough to play with it....if you know what I mean :)

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  9. I am smiling. I wish I could be a fly on the wall,watching,as you and Olivia play with this doll. She does look so real.

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    1. I am hoping to get some photos of her with the baby...not sure if I will make it into any of them though :)

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  10. Dearest Debby, I want a baby doll just like this one! She is just going to love her! And to have some new outfits to change her clothes will be so fun. I bet you have made up a whole little diaper bag for her. And your grand daughter is so pretty! I hope you have a marvelous time dear friend!
    Blessings, Roxy

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    1. Thank you, Roxy! And yes, you know me well...I did buy a little bag and folded all of the outfits nice and neat after they were washed and put them in it....also got a little blankey, a bottle and some little head bands :)

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  11. That baby is so pretty! What little girl wouldn't love to be her mother?! I loved playing with baby dolls when I was a child. The new baby doll smell is an extra plus too!

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    1. Love, LOVE the new baby doll smell too! It's a favorite memory of my childhood :)

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  12. I can tell you love having that granddaughter! Mine is also five but there is another who is nearly one. And one boy, and I had two boys. But my little secret is that I have a doll very similar to yours--yes, mine. And yes she has clothes from GW. I dress her for the seasons and the children that visit my house love to play with her. But she's my baby doll, complete with a name. I have to dress her in white tights if she's to wear a dress because of that leg and arm problem and no short sleeves. :-) My excuse for having her is that I was a baby nurse for 25 years and miss those babies. Debby maybe you should get one for yourself! :-)

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    1. Oh my goodness...do you know how you have blessed my heart just to know that I wasn't crazy? I was literally asking myself why I was getting so much joy from preparing this baby doll for her!! I am so relieved to know I am not the only one...lol! I wasn't a baby nurse so what's my excuse? Hmmm...let me see...maybe because I love the smell of vinyl? Oh, I think not...I could just go buy a change purse and sniff it... I will have to ponder this idea of getting one for me...thanks for the suggestion :)

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  13. Oh wow, that precious baby doll looks so life-like! I am sure you and your sweet granddaughter will make some special memories as you play with her together :)

    Hugs to you, dear Debby Ray!

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    1. Oh I do so hope she falls in love with her like I have...I am counting the hours until we get together with them later this evening! Can't wait...November was a long time ago! Blessings!

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  14. I love dolls and have lots of fun dressing them and playing with them. I have 4 sons all grown...so I never got to buy girl stuff for all of those years. The Berringer babies have a little baby powder scent to their vinyl. I have a couple of dolls with this sweet face. They are so much fun to dress in baby clothes. Makes me want to PLAY! What fun you'll have with your granddaughter....and of course you need your very own, too! Sweet hugs!

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    1. Diane, I think I came across some of the baby dolls you are referring to that smell like baby powder. I felt like I had seen every baby doll they ever made after I spent days researching...lol! This one doesn't have the powder smell but I was mostly looking for a cuddly body and realistic looking face...one with eyes not too wide open. Some of the dolls faces are quite scary actually! I may have to think about that idea of getting myself one.... (:-)

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  15. Oh Debby - Olivia is just precious, and what a perfect baby doll for her to cuddle and love! I also have two adult sons (and a hubby-boy!). And yes, the toys we grew up with were rough-and-tumble. No grandkids yet, but I will wait to see what God has in store.

    Until then, can I come and play dolls?? I miss my Thumbelina (remember that doll?)

    GOD BLESS!

    (By the way, years ago I bought a Playmobil victorian doll house for myself. I still have it, and I still enjoy decorating it just for me!!)

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    1. I've come and gone and Olivia did love her baby doll very much! So did her mommy...I think she she will have fun "helpng" Olivia take care of her :) I do remember Thumbelina and had a "knock off" version of her when I was little...loved her! You can come play dolls with me if I can rearrange the furniture in your doll house...lol!

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  16. A cute doll, I'm sure your grandaughter will be well pleased. Enjoy your visit.

    Thank you. Love love, Andrew. Bye.

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  17. Oh, Debby! What a precious little doll. I thought you were about to tell us you had had another little grandbaby! Oh, the little doll does look real. Your little grandaughter will love her. Have a wonderful visit with your family and how much fun to celebrate so many holidays at once.
    Thanks for popping in to see my little cow creamers. And yes, we look mahhhhhhhvelous, dahhhhhhhhling!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia;)

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    1. Sheila, yes the baby dolls does look so real, doesn't she? My granddaughter loved her! I am working on a post but my internet has been down at home since Friday :( I so enjoy looking at all of your cute and interesting collectables :)

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  18. That doll is so pretty and it really does look real. I thought it was when I first saw it. Your granddaughter is going to love it. Have a lovely week.
    ~Clara

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  19. Thank you Debby for coming along with me on the cow trail! Have a beautiful day.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia;)

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  20. Yes, our precious! I can't wait to buy baby dolls for our baby girl that is due at the end of this month and yes, all my children and grandbabies live in Nasvhille, I'd say we'd meet up but you know it is to be jealous of their time and want them all to yourself. I sure do! I haven't seen mine since Christmas and my heart aching for them. I say hurry up little one so we can come to Nashville. We
    We have a girl that makes dolls here that look exactly like their brothers and sister. It is awesome. I'll have to share that one day. She puts each strand of hair in their head if they want hair. Amazing. Enjoy your visit with that baby girl

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    1. That is so awesome! Not only that all your kiddos are in Nashville but that someone actually makes baby dolls to look like their children! I have "met" so many sweet ladies since I began my blog and think it would be just great to really meet some of them face to face one day! My son moved to Nashville to go to college...do you know Trevecca Nazarene University? He never came home but that's OK...he would have never met his sweet wife and I wouldn't have those sweet grandbabies if he hadn't! We did enjoy our visit and am still trying to get time to post about it....no internet at home for almost a week since the bad ice storm :( Thanks for visiting!

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  21. It will be beautiful to see a cute little queen in-between kings. Your granddaughter looks so cute.
    First while scrolling i didn't think it is a doll, after reading your words only i came to know it is a doll. It looks so real as a cute little girl.

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    1. Thank you for visiting and following my blog! Yes, finally getting a little girl in the family has been such a blessing! She loved her baby doll...and she does look SO real, doesn't she?

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  22. Oh how wonderful your celebration of all holidays on three successive days! The weather either cooperated or it didn't, but it just looks so perfect. What fun! (I am commenting here because I was not allowed to comment on the one about your gathering in VA. Tells me that page does not exist. Hmmm...but I just read it! =D

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    1. Thanks for commenting Vee....we really did have fun! I will have to check out my page and see what's wrong...I have received 2 comments from others. Last week this happened to me a couple of times on a few other blogs....I will see what I can do to fix it! Thanks for letting me know :)

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  23. Hi Debby, John and I don't have children but I sure love/adore my nieces and great nieces. Now I know the "background" of your recent holiday get-together. I still have my childhood baby doll, Thumbelina. She went everywhere with me! Olivia sure is a doll. I know she will treasure this sweet doll.

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Thank you for stopping by today! Your sweet comments are such an encouragement to me.