Ella's American Girl Doll Birthday Party

After Ella waited impatiently for many weeks for her big, American Girl Doll birthday party to arrive, the day finally came.  Needless to say, she was so excited!  Out of the fifteen friends that Ella invited, thirteen were able to join her which made for a fun and large group of girls.  Thanks to keeping almost everything from Lia's same birthday party six years ago, I saved myself hours of work preparing for this party which was a huge help to me considering the fact that I was juggling a hundred different things last week.  So while Lia was performing Cruella de Vil in one of her seven 101 Dalmatians shows at the exact same time, we hosted Ella's friend party.  While Emmett napped in his bedroom with the fans blowing and Logan hid in the office with his tablet, Ron and my dear friend, Kristina, helped me host a gaggle of giggling girls.  They colored, crafted, played AGD themed games, opened gifts, and finished off with cupcakes and ice cream.  The girls all seemed to have a great time and Ella enjoyed every minute of it!  I am so grateful that I was able to pull off this birthday party for Ella in the midst of her sister's second weekend of shows as I knew it meant the world to her to feel special and loved over her birthday weekend.

Ella posing outside our front door with her American Girl Doll, Corinne.

A close-up of my favorite, 9-year old American girl with her American Girl Doll.

I reused the same wreath that I made for Lia's party except I had to switch out the "L" for an "E" that I covered in a collage of pictures from an AGD catalogue.

The foyer table decorated with AG Dolls, animals, boxes, and furniture.  Just like with Lia's party, I enlarged a photo that I took of Ella's face and put in inside a doll box.  I thought that it turned out so cute.

Ella's face inside a box.

The mantle in the family room all decked out and ready to go.

The kitchen table in all its glory.  Besides having to buy new table cloths, paper products, and balloons, everything was exactly the same from Lia's party.

A close-up of the darling drinks that I made out of mason jars.

One of the tables complete with AGD gift bags, candles, confetti, and cupcakes.

As the girls arrived, Ella brought them into the family room to color an AGD picture of their choice.

The girls then made the same craft that we did six years ago at Lia's party--a tutu skirt for their dolls.  Here is Mae, Ella, and Madelyn tying strips of tulle onto elastic waist bands.

A group of Ella and her friends crafting together.

The awesome group shot I was able to take of all of their girls after finishing their doll tutus.

We then had the girls play, "Don't Eat My AG Doll," in groups of two.  We played two entire rounds and the girls had so much fun.

Kristina and I then took turns calling off questions for the AGD Bingo game.  We played three rounds and the girls actually knew a lot of the answers to the questions.

Ella loved opening up gifts next and thoroughly enjoyed getting three more Squishmallow stuffies in a addition to a plethora of other wonderful gifts.  Here Ella is showing off the first Squishmallow she opened from her good friend from school, Viviana.

Ella opening a second Squishmallow from her good friend Madelyn whom she knows from school and church.

Ella smiling next to her dear friend, Brinley, who she met during her Kindergarten year at school.

After everyone moved to the table, we finished off by singing "Happy Birthday" to Ella before the girls enjoyed cupcakes, ice cream, and punch.  Here is Ella waiting for the group to sing to her.

Blowing out the candles.

The girls feasting away!

This party was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon celebrating Ella and her wonderful, nine years of life!  I'm so grateful for all of the wonderful friends who were able to come celebrate with her.