Famous American "Girl" Day

Two weeks ago, Ella came home with a note in her bag saying that they were going to have Famous American Day.  Each child was to choose a Famous American to dress up as and come to school ready to share a fact about their Famous American with the class.

I scrolled down the list and Laura Ingalls Wilder immediately jumped out to me.  My first thought (honestly it was) was how much Ella would enjoy reading the Little House books.  But, then my thoughts lingered to how cute she would be in a little pinafore and bonnet.  And then I just could not get out of my head how cute her braids would be to pull off the whole Laura Ingalls look.

Well, the braids turned out to be ITCHY!  And did not last past the pictures, but everything else about preparing for Famous American Day was so fun!  We have had so much fun together reading "Little House in the Big Woods."  I have been surprised how much Ella has enjoyed it, she does not let a day go by without reading.  But who would not want to hear about fighting bears and jaguars, making butter from scratch and playing outside in piles and piles of snow!

But somewhere along the way, 'Famous American Day' turned into 'Famous American Girl Day.'  Ella is at the age where a lot of her friends are starting to get American Girl Dolls.  I still have my American Girl Doll from when I was a little girl, ready to give to Ella, but the thing is, Ella does not play with toys, or dolls.  Around October when the huge influx of catalogs started filling our mailbox, we got an American Girl catalog about twice a month.  I would flip through the pages with Ella looking at all the dolls.  Ella lasted about 2 minutes before she was done looking at the magazine, with absolutely no interest in having one of her own.

I knew when her friends started talking about their American Girl dolls Ella would start to show a little more interest.  However, she will not be getting one (either mine or a new one) until she is on her knees begging (okay maybe not on her knees, but some serious pleading!) for one because I know this girl and toys do not hold her attention.

The other day one of Ella's friends was over after school.  As they were in the kitchen coloring, I lingered at the sink washing the few dishes left ever so slowly.  I love to be close so that I can hear the conversations that are going on.  Usually they are hilarious.  Ella's friend began telling Ella that this year she was going to have a small birthday party at her house because her big birthday present was to go to Atlanta and get her very own American Girl Doll!  Ella sat quietly for a moment thinking.  (I could just imagine the wheels turning in her mind, she has heard all about American Girls Dolls and how much all of her friends love theirs.  We also have been talking a lot about Famous American Day and she is going to be a Famous American that is a girl).  After a brief moment of thinking Ella replied, "Well, I am going to be a Famous American Girl on Famous American Girl Day."  From that day on 'Famous American Day' became 'Famous American Girl Day.'  Ella was so proud of herself to be a Famous American Girl and just could not break it to her that she was not dressing up as an American Girl Doll.

But I do think that it cured that desire that she had to be a part of this "thing" (American Girl Dolls) that all her friends were talking about, without having to buy her a doll that I know would just sit in a basket under the bed.  Right now we are very happy with our Famous American Girl costume and it will get played with way more than a doll ever would!

Yes, I did make this little outfit.  My rule is that I do not make costumes.  Just too much time for something that could possibly only be worn once.  But for some reason I just got really excited about making this.  My initial plan was to make a very simple apron and bonnet.  But as I started planning and making, I got a little carried away.  I could tell I had not sewn in a long time because my simple apron turned into a pinafore (which I really love and so does Ella.  I think it will probably turn into a summer dress).  And then the pinafore had angel sleeves, piping and buttons.  And then I found myself buying a pattern for a super cute bonnet (it was only $1)!  I just love to sew too much to stop at a simple apron when I have the time (and materials on hand) to create something really cute that I know Ella will love.  Ella was a big helper on this project and so proud of her costume!  That extra detail was totally worth the smile on her face!!!