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I still have my Kirsten doll, and like you, I didn't play with her much because I didn't want to ruin her! It was a BIG deal to get an American Girl doll; my dad complained a lot abouthow expensive they were!! My grandma handmade beautiful clothes for the doll which I still have. I look forward to passing her down to LO

I never had one, but my mom collects dolls (she has a super-creepy "doll room" full of porcelain and collector dolls- I know...My mom is a whackadoo), and she has told me so much about American Girl dolls and that is actually something she's really excited about to get Harper. And it's a big deal to her to be able to pick it out with Harper, and the accessory stuff and possibly go to the American Girl store. So that will be a Harper and Grandma thing, but since we still have 3 months until she's born, and that's at the top of my mom's agenda, I guess American Girl is a pretty big deal!

@anonysquire: Oh Mah Gah - Madame Alexander! My mom has a shit-ton of those! She even sent me a pink stuffed animal Humpty Dumpty doll that has a little musical thing in it just because it was Madame Alexander! She says she's giving Harper certain "special dolls" she has and I'm like "Keep your creepy ass dolls there!!!!" I cannot believe someone else has a Crazy Doll Mom too!!! Haha!

I had 2! One was because we shared a name:) I had tons of the accessories & I took sewing lessons, so I'd make them loads of clothes I had a friend who was an American girl doll hair stylist... How much fun would that be?!?

I had Samantha too. My mom still has her somewhere. I can't wait to take our daughter to the American girl cafe.
In the beginning there were only three dolls and now there are so many. I'm jealous of the girls that grew up with the newer dolls.

I never had one but I obsessed over the catalogs!

I didn't ever have an American Girl doll, but there is an American Girl special store right by my office and I've always wanted an excuse to go in there...so now that we have a little girl on the way maybe I have a bonafide reason besides being some creepy old lady lurking around.

I never heard of American girl until I moved to Georgia!

@Coco Bee: yes lol. My mom isn't very creepy though. Just loves dolls and toys I guess. She collects a ton of vintage toys too and made the most amazing playroom, I'll have to post pics. But ya some people that come over find her doll cabinet way creepy!

I was too old for them, but I was totally planning on getting my LO a doll of the year, but I had a son.

I love the American Girl dolls and all the books! Between me and my three sisters, we had all of them at one point! (Although they have come out with more since...) Since mine are currently in a box in my parent's basement, and I recently found out we are having a little girl, I was just talking to my sister and Dad about breaking them out for LO. At what age would you give them to your LO? I didn't really play with them either - just kind of staged them - so I wouldn't want to give them to her too young.

I loved the books! We couldn't afford an American Girl doll, but Santa (wink) got me one of the ones from a similar series because she had my name SPELLED THE SAME WAY! I was totally blown away. Lol.

For my younger sister's 10th birthday about 1.5 years ago my mom took her and her cousin (and I went to help) to the American Girl Doll store. It was SO cool! We had lunch there and they give the dolls food, haha!

I had the Molly doll and ALL the books they had at the time-Felicity, Kirsten, Samantha and Molly. There are SO many more now!! I felt the same as @mrswagon, I saved my money to buy the doll and was so afraid of ruining her I barely played with it. I would love to hand down to a daughter one day!

when the company first started their catalog they took some photos of my 'Granny's' barn. my first doll was Kirsten and later Felicity. I don't know what I'll do with them, we're thinking we're 'one and done' with DS. maybe I'll give them to my niece?

I'm not sure what the Canadian equivalent is to the American Girl doll but whatever it is, I hope LO will have something that she'll want to keep forever.

I read every book, studied the catalog and begged my parents for a doll, but I never got one. I remember my cousin getting the Samantha doll for Christmas the same year I wanted it and I was devastated and I could see it hurt my mom too to see me trying to be happy with my presents but secretly wanting to steal my cousin's doll! I never did get one, so if my DD loves the books and wants one I will splurge and get her one!

I loved the books when I was younger but never had a doll. My sister got one of the dolls that is designed to look like here; there are so many more options now!

@highwire: I have been to the American Girl store with my little cousin, it's pretty cool! We had lunch and shopped around, she has several of the dolls. It's kind of insane, there's a doll hair salon, a ridiculous amount of merchandise and in the restaurant they have little chairs that clip onto the table so you can eat with your dolls!

@tororojo: How cool!!

@Clementine: That makes me sad, poor little girl!

other thoughts:
1) Etta is such a cute girl's name!
2) It doesn't shock me that they don't do hair for other brands of dolls, but it sucks that that little girl was treated like crap! Definitely could have been handled better.