Red hair.

Last year our local library hosted the most precious tea party for young girls… it was called Tea With Samantha.  Now most of you with young daughters will immediately know who “Samantha” is… and if you don’t let me fill you in.  She is one of the wonderful historical American Girl dolls.  I think these dolls have done more for encouraging young girls to have a love for history than anything in our time.  Each doll’s character has six books written about the life and times of the era in which she lived and also comes with all sorts of clothes and accessories true to the historical period. 

Back to the tea… our daughters were encouraged to bring their American Girl doll to the tea, and it was suggested that they might dress like their doll.   My daughter actually has Felicity, which is the doll who “lived” in 1776 in Williamsburg, Virginia.  This was very special for me in one way, in particular.  You see my daughter had just gotten to the size that she could wear my dress from the Bicentennial Celebration of 1976.  Yes, my mother handmade this dress for me when I was eleven to wear for my hometown Bicentennial Pageant.  And wouldn’t you know that it was a perfect fit for her to wear and look like her doll, Felicity. 

I carefully rolled her hair, put on her mob cap, and tied her velvet sash… tearfully, of course… because it’s not every day you get to see your daughter wear the dress you wore as an eleven year-old.  It was also special for her because she knew that and knew the dress was handmade for her mom by her beloved Nonnie.  I took many pictures, and she was all too happy to oblige for the photo shoot.  She looked a lot like I did at her age… except for one thing… she got the red hair!