She’s an American Girl

So, tomorrow is Faith’s birthday.

She will be 9.

Yowza.

Like most little girls, Faith has been excitedly counting down to this magical day.

Unlike most little girls, Faith has special needs.

Birthday parties are a dicey thing for us. Heck, outings are a dicey thing for us.

Last week, the neighbor girls went to the holy grail of girly-girliness: The American Girl Store.

I had no idea there was an American Girl Store right here in Seattle. Did you know that? Did you know that the American Girl Store does birthday parties? I didn’t.

Now, regular followers of my blog may be a bit confused right now. Wondering WHY this matters. Faith is about as far from a girly-girl as a girl can get.

Captain America? Superman? Mario? Firetrucks? Transformers? Yes.

Tea parties? Tiaras? Princesses? No.

But….there is no one peg that fits here. Faith has spent years flipping through the American Girl catalogs. Pointing to each doll and asking about it. Noting which ones are similar to her and which ones are similar to someone she knows. The “Almost American Girl” dolls in other stores have not interested her in the least. It has just been the American Girl dolls.

So…. once I realized there was an actual American Girl Store nearby, a tiny inkling of an idea started to form.

Have you ever been to an American Girl Store? It is a sea of pink and red filled to the brim with squealing girls.

What if…somehow…by some miracle….I could figure out a way to take Faith to the American Girl Store for her birthday?

Crazy? Probably. But I figured the least I could do was talk to someone and see what kind of accommodations could be made. The following is my emails with Anna. Anna is amazing and needs a raise. And a bonus. And a vacation. 🙂

“Hi Anna,

I am hoping to arrange a visit to the Seattle American Girl Store for my daughter, Faith’s 9th birthday. Faith is developmentally and physically disabled. For three years she has flipped through American Girl catalogs, asking about the different dolls. This year I think we are possibly able to make the trip to the store. This will be her (and my) first experience and I am wondering if there are any accommodations that can be made to help her have an enjoyable experience.

A bit about Faith…. She survived a stroke as a baby. She has a hard time physically walking. She can walk but tires easily. She can manage most of the day without her wheelchair, but if the store will involve quite a bit of walking, we may need it. She also has autism. She becomes very easily overwhelmed by too much stimuli. I am wondering if it is possible to have a small selection dolls in a small area for her to “shop” from rather than have the possibly overwhelming experience of the entire store? What time of the day is the store the quietest? 

We would also like to celebrate her “party” at the Bistro, with the goodies (cake, ice cream, tiara) but it would just be her and us (Mom and Dad). Is it possible to have a birthday party without the “party” part? 

I am a special needs blogger and I would also love to chronicle how this goes in a blog post to share with other parents. Knowing what accommodations can be made at a particular store/event is a huge help for those of us who need a bit extra help with our children.”

Anna wrote back almost instantly.

“Hi Allison,

I would love to meet with you and Faith, and I’d be more than happy to customize her visit so she can have an amazing experience!

Our store is usually the quietest during the week in the morning and early afternoon. We will begin to be busier as summer break approaches, but weekdays are often much quieter than weekends. Our store is all one level, and very accessible, so Faith would be able to enjoy everything, including the bistro and doll hair salon, while visiting in a wheelchair so she could be the most comfortable.

I’d be happy to select some dolls and outfits for Faith beforehand, and then meet with her to help her go through choices. If you can tell me which doll(s) she’s excited about, or if she’d like to find a doll that looks like her, I’d be happy to bring a selection of dolls to her to help make choosing easier.

I can also help with creating a selection of outfits and accessories too. If you can tell me a little bit about Faith, her interests, hobbies, favorite colors, what style clothes she likes, I can create a customized shopping experience with outfits and accessories she’ll love! 

You can absolutely have a birthday party for three! The Bistro Birthday Celebration includes a drink, appetizer, main course and special cake and ice cream for dessert, with a goody bag for girls. The cost is $28 per girl and $18 per adult. If you have a date in mind for visiting, I’d be happy to check on reservations in our bistro!

And you’re more than welcome to take photos to remember the experience, or ask any questions that we can help answer! I’m looking forward to meeting with you and Faith!”

This was starting to feel like something we could actually do! The American Girl Store was very willing to help come up with accommodations to help Faith enjoy her American Girl experience to the fullest even with the additional challenges. Anna called me so we could speak in more detail about what we could do to help Faith. Anna was patient and full of ideas. She also went well out of her way to not only check the Bistro’s menu for Faith’s allergens, but she also ensured that they would have Faith’s favored ice cream on hand.

Wow.

Here are the photo’s from an amazingly magical day.

If you have ever considered a trip to the American Girl Store, but have hesitated due to special needs, please email them. I can not stress enough how accommodating the entire staff was. Every person we came in contact with was so helpful, patient and understanding.

Thank you American Girl Store for helping to make a little girls wish come true.