Kaitlynn's Early Birthday Celebration

Kaitlynn's main request to celebrate her birthday this year was to have her best friend Anais over for a sleepover. We managed to work that in last month before Anais's family went overseas for the summer. Kaitlynn LOVED every second of her special time with Anais, and it turned out to be such a special occasion for Kaitlynn's birthday.

Best friends reunited, so sweet!

After the happy reunion, Kaitlynn and Anais came back to our house for some playtime before we all had to head out for Connor's baseball game that evening. The girls had so much fun playing dress-up, coloring, and generally squealing all over the house. Ha!

Princess dress-up isn't complete without the perfect pose.

Riding out to Connor's baseball game. Love those smiles.

Jeff the jungle gym.

After the girls were getting ready for bed, Anais surprised Kaitlynn with a special birthday present: matching nightgowns for bedtime. So cute!!

Matching PJs for these sweet BFFs!

The next morning, the girls were up and ready for breakfast. Jeff got them all donuts as a birthday treat, and soon after, Kaitlynn was ready to open her gifts. We decided to give Kaitlynn her birthday present early in order to celebrate at a special lunch we had planned later that day.

Breakfast #1 -- donuts.

Breakfast #2 -- cereal.

Matching PJs and ready to open birthday gifts. I LOVE this picture of their bright eyes and smiles!

Big smiles for the presents.

Surprise! It's her very own American Girl doll.

She was SO excited!

Kaitlynn's birthday gift was her very own American Girl doll, designed with exactly the same features as Kaitlynn. Fair skin, blond hair, blue eyes -- she's a perfect match! Kaitlynn was in awe when she realized that her doll looked just like her, and she was so excited to be a Mommy.

Anais gave Kaitlynn some American Girl accessories and outfits as her gift. We were SO impressed that Anais kept the surprise from Kaitlynn -- she knew all along that Kaitlynn would be getting the doll for her present but never spilled the beans!

I told Kaitlynn that she needed to take special care in choosing her doll's name, so Kaitlynn and Anais quickly set off with paper and pens to make their lists of possible names. They came up with quite a few names, but in the end, Kaitlynn stuck with her first choice: Anna Faith Courtright. We thought it was a perfect name for Kaitlynn's new "baby."

For part of Kaitlynn's early birthday celebration, we had booked reservations for us and Anais's mom and sister at the American Girl restaurant. Girls can bring their dolls and have a special lunch together while, of course, browsing all of the fancy doll accessories at the American Girl store. It was quite the experience and Kaitlynn loved every second of it!

Arriving at American Girl store for lunch.

Ready for her special lunch with Anna Faith.

All settled at the table with Anais and her sister Amelia, and all of their dolls of course!

When you eat at the restaurant, each doll gets her own little cup and saucer and the girls are allowed to keep the napkin rings which are little hair ties for them and their dolls. The girls LOVE sharing this experience with their dolls. Kaitlynn quickly decided to fix Anna's hair into a ponytail with the new hair tie and of course had to fix her own to match.

Giving Anna Faith a kiss after fixing her hair with the new hairband.

For dessert, the girls ordered special cupcakes that they could decorate themselves. They had normal sized cupcakes for themselves and little mini-cupcakes for their dolls. Love it!

Cupcakes for the birthday girl and her doll.

Even the bathrooms at American Girl are designed to handle your doll. They have little doll holders all around so you can hang up your doll while you use the facilities. Oh my!

Hang up your doll while you wash your hands in the bathroom, ha!

As an extra special birthday gift, Keri decided to treat Anna Faith with ear piercing so Anna could have earrings just like Kaitlynn. Yes, at the American Girl salon, you can get your doll's ears pierced! Kaitlynn was SO excited!

Keri and Kaitlynn showing off Anna Faith's new earrings. So sweet!

The American Girl experience is new to us but, oh my, what fun for these sweet girls. Kaitlynn and her doll, Anna Faith, have been inseparable since this early birthday celebration. I have a feeling that the fun with Kaitlynn and Anna Faith is just beginning!

Family pic in front of the AG store.