The Full Court Press

Tenacious...persistent...relentless...neva, neva give up...that is my girl.

Kate has decided what she wants for Christmas and we ALL know about it. She is on an all out offensive to obtain the gift of her dreams. She has decided she wants an *American*Girl*Doll and she's ramped up the pressure to crazy levels.

It started innocently enough--she has a *Bitty*Baby doll (same company), so she's gotten a few of their catalogs over time. Kate has been studying them and dreaming about the doll daily (usually during "quiet time".) It didn't take long before she had all the dolls memorized and started to have favorites. She then noticed that her cousin had several *American*Girl*Dolls and that made the dolls even more appealing.

She also went on a pilgrimage with her beloved cousin to the *American*Girl*Store--little did we know that this would only fuel the fire. (Runner Boy refuses to ever have to go in there again--one trip was enough.)

She wants *Molly*. Not Kirsten, Ivey, Chrissa, Elizabeth, Felicity, Julie, Rebecca, Kit, Kaya, Addy...just Molly. Somehow Molly pops up in multiple conversations a day. She doesn't want one that looks like her, or has curly hair, or blond hair. She wants Molly.

We were looking through a magazine recently and she pointed out a picture full of Christmas presents. She pointed them out and said, "Mom, you could buy Molly, wrap her up like this and I would open the present and act VERY surprised!"

Or, "Momma, Grandma could buy Molly for 'Crismas' and I would be so surprised!"

Or, "Grandma, did you know I want Molly for 'Crismas?' My momma is gonna buy her for me."

Yesterday she went to the mall with Grandma for a story hour at the local bookstore. As she was telling me about her day she said, "Momma, I threw a coin in da fountain and made a wish. I wished for Molly!"

(Sam piped up with, "I wished for Lightning McQueen!")

And she's not just working on us, she's taken it to the next level. She's even pestering God. Every night she prays for Molly for Christmas. Just in case we haven't heard enough about it, she's trying to get God on her side. Tonight Runner Boy asked her to thank God for something in her prayers.

She replied, "Dear Jesus, thank you for my bedroom...an' please give me Molly for Christmas."

I could whine about this trait, but she's seen it in her momma, so I just admire the creative ways Molly works her way into everyday conversation.