American Girl Models

A few weeks ago, on a family mall outing, we spotted a sign announcing a model search for an American Girl Fashion Show.  The show benefits the University of Maryland Hospital and will be held in at the Hippodrome Theatre in downtown Baltimore in March.   Jenna, naturally, was thrilled with the idea of auditioning, so we took a picture of the sign with the promise to look up the website later.

I should tell you that Jenna used to be very shy in any type of performing situations.  She stood in the corner during her preschool performance of the Nutcracker, refusing to dance.  At her dance recital, she refused to come on stage.  She was later gently pushed onto stage, where she stood crying and definitely not dancing.

 That's Jenna on the right.  The one not dancing.  

So this switch to enjoying attention and performing for anyone willing to watch her, has been drastic.  Amazing really.  I’m not sure I can pinpoint when it occurred, but it has definitely occurred.  She now adores being in the spotlight.  In fact, she demands the spotlight.  

Back to the fashion show.  I invited some of my friends with girls, who I knew liked American Girl dolls.   We all printed off the show application and filled it out with the required information.  I will note that they had very specific measurements for the models.  Your child had to be 6x or a 10, a certain height, and so on.  

Sunday morning we all piled in my car and headed to the White Marsh Mall.  The audition time was 12-2pm, but they said to come an hour early.  Being the overachievers that we are, we arrived at 10:40 to get in line.  Surprisingly, the line wasn’t bad. 

 Madeline, Jenna, and Gracie.  How cute are they?

All the girls (Jenna, Madeline, and Gracie) all brought their dolls with them.  As soon as we got in line, they dumped their coats and their dolls on the floor.   Excellent.  

The American Girl people seemed super organized and “opened the gates” at promptly 11:00.  We were lead to the registration tables to turn in our applications and pictures.  **Here’s a weird thing.  Jen (Gracie’s mom) and I both didn’t realize we needed pictures.  However, in true Let’s Make a Deal form, we both pulled out copies of our girls passport pictures from our wallets.  Amazeballs.

After registration came measurements.  They measure everything...even their arms.  The girls then went to sit in chairs arranged by the stage.  Yup, there was a stage and the girls would have to strut their stuff in front of judges.  I had no idea they would need to do this.  Thankfully, all three of them seemed happy with the idea.

As a side note, of course I goofed up in the camera department.  I brought it.  But I brought it with my 50mm lens instead of a zoom.    I still am not good at taking pictures, much less with my new lens.  So, my runway pics aren’t good.  At all.  I’ll learn eventually.  Sigh. 

Obviously our children have seen some Toddlers and Tiaras or Honey Boo Boo, because they knew just what to do.  None of them seemed nervous as they walked the runway looking like little American Girl angels.  Jen, Erin (Madeline’s mom) and I stood on the stairs overlooking the stage, taking pictures and video.

 Erin & Jen.  How cute are they?

Afterward Jenna said, “did you see me smile at the judges Mom?”. Who is this child?  Where did her confidence come from?

So about 35 minutes after arriving at the mall, we were done.  Huge sigh of relief. We thought it would be hours.  To celebrate we headed to Noodles & Company.  

And my dear Jenna showed her truly confident self by telling us that she got all 10’s.  What?  She added “Yeah, I saw them writing zeros and I knew there had to be a one in front of it.  They would never give me zeros.”.  Oh my child.  

 Horrible blurry pic of Jenna.  But you can see her smiling at the judges.  Haha!

Supposedly we’ll all get an email by February 1st, letting us know if our child is selected to be a part of the fashion show.  I’ll keep you posted.