I’ve been a fan of American Girl dolls since I was little and always secretly hoped I would someday own one.  While I might be a bit old to get a doll now, my daughter most certainly is not.  Lucky for me, she shares my passion for the PTPA winning American Girl dolls and couldn’t be happier that there is a new store just minutes from our home.

We’ve gone to visit the store more times than I can count in the past 6 months, mostly because we’re over the moon excited that Seattle is the official home of the 2012 American Girl Doll of the Year, McKenna.

If you haven’t fallen for McKenna yet, you might be the only one.  McKenna is one of the fastest selling dolls in the American Girl line, especially here in Seattle.  But, it’s hard not to love McKenna and her very relatable story.

McKenna is a gymnast who tries very hard but is still having problems at school.  She’s embarrassed to get tutoring help with her schoolwork but knows that it’s the only way her parents will let her continue with gymnastics, which she loves.  When she breaks her ankle during a meet and needs a cast and crutches, she finds it hard to manage tutoring with her friendships, schoolwork, and gymnastics, and must learn to rely on others for help.

But, beyond the story, the McKenna doll is truly gorgeous and has all sorts of accessories, including gymnastics gear, a beautiful loft bed, and pets that she adores.  My daughter was eyeing her from afar as soon as she was released into the Seattle store and was thrilled when she found out that McKenna was also from Seattle.  It was then that I knew we needed McKenna in our home.

With my daughter’s birthday a few days away, we made reservations at the American Girl café with grandma, an aunt, and a cousin and planned to give her the doll at the store while we ate, which would make it all the more memorable.  And, oh boy, was it memorable!

My daughter was absolutely speechless when she saw her McKenna doll, and started jumping up and down with joy.  Right after lunch, she ran with McKenna out to the main store and we checked out all the McKenna accessories together.  It was one of those amazing days you wish you could just bottle up so you can enjoy over and over again all the excitement of being a little girl surrounded by everything your heart could ever desire.

My son even got a loaner doll for dining in the cafe, which was a HUGE hit.  I think he might need a doll for himself as well.  American Boy store next?

I think I love every single thing in the McKenna collection and am doing my absolute best to try and figure out ways we can get most of the items before they retire. While my daughter would really love the loft bed, I love the gymnastics outfits and will definitely get her one when we visit the NYC store next month as a special treat.  We might throw in another accessory or two for now, but then we will save the rest for the holidays so she can celebrate McKenna all the way through the end of the year.

But, I have a feeling we are going to be celebrating McKenna for a very long time.  My daughter is simply in love with McKenna that she has gotten very into her story and wears her McKenna outfit she got for her birthday every time it comes out of the wash {side note: buy the McKenna outfit big for your little one.  It stretches quite a bit and can be worn long, so it’s best to get something to grow into}.

If you are someone who lives in Seattle or loves Seattle, I would highly recommend picking up McKenna before she is no longer available.  Some of her items are currently backordered, but you can always order them online or over the phone and they will ship when they are back in stock.  For this reason, I would buy early for birthdays and holidays and plan ahead for McKenna purchases!

You can check out the full McKenna collection here, including the new McKenna movie we reviewed that comes out this month!

And, if you are in the Seattle area, I would highly recommend checking out the new store.  While it is smaller than the other two stores we’ve been to, the level of service there is truly awesome and it really is an experience like no other.  Even if you are looking for a personal shopper experience as my friend Allison at Mommy Rambles was, the Seattle store staff is really amazing and takes time with each girl that comes in.  It’s worth it to make the trek from the city if you’ve got a little AG fan, or even if you’re like me and just love looking at all the awesome dolls and accessories!

A big thank you to American Girl for sending McKenna for my daughter to adore.  Cafe lunch and accessories were all purchased by us – because we love McKenna and AG.  As always, all opinions are 100% ours and no form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this Rave Review.