The Shopper Dad

This?

Or this?

Kelsey's Mom used to accuse me of trying to substitute time spent with stuff bought. I don't think that was true but I did enjoy getting stuff for Kels now and then. Moms often talk about how fun it is to have a little girl and buy her cute outfits and shoes and dolls and all of that. Believe me, none of those claims are lost on me.

In Chicago this weekend I passed by the American Girl store and had to remember at least a dozen or more times in that store with Kels between the age of 4 and 10. We didn't always buy something, especially not one of those seriously expensive dolls. And, thankfully, she never wanted to eat at the American Girl Cafe. But we toured every floor, saw the shows at the American Girl Theater, and usually left with some small accessory at the least.

Kels is all grown up now and I doubt I'll ever be hanging out in the American Girl Store again, short of having a granddaughter or such. But the urge to buy for my "little girl" hasn't dissipated. Always on the lookout for something cool, I was happy to discover a really nice pair of Topsider loafers at Bloomies for less than American Girl's Girl of the Year 2012, McKenna-- who, by the way, I think looks like a WASP sorority bitch in training.

I have to agree with all those moms out there-- it is fun shopping for a daughter. I'm just glad mine has finally reached an age where I can shop in "her" stores just as well as she.