Shock 'n Awe...

So, I keep a fairly clean house. To be clear, we do allow ourselves the luxury of a cleaning service every three weeks to do the 'real work.'  In the advent of Clorox Wipes, Swiffer, and Febreeze.. I can maintain in the weeks between.  And.. I do make a valiant effort at keeping the clutter to a minimum. I can ignore a tumbleweed of Gracie Fur for days on end.. Clutter... not so much.  SO...

...the way in which our house is designed.. Eileen's room isn't in my regular line of sight.  Meaning, even if I happen to walk past it, unless I make a concentrated effort, I don't know in what shape it might happen to be.  Hence. The Dolls.

Eileen is at Josh & Sarah's this week. And my cousins are coming to visit this week (YAY) ... so of course I ventured upstairs to spiff up her room.. only to find The Dolls.  Amid the toys she'd recently drug out from their organized storage places (i.e. stuffed in precious little pink & purple canvas squares & her monogrammed toybox...) were The Dolls.   I believe she must have all at once been playing School - as the dolls were situated in chairs lined up in a row facing the room - and What Not To Wear: Doll Style.

A brief overview of the dolls: we have Ruth, she's the dark haired beauty you see just above. She's an actual American Girl Doll from Aunt Jaime, the one Eileen picked out bc Ruth is Jewish just like her. Ruth also happens to be Eileen's great-grandmother's name. We also have Eileen, the Madame Alexander doll from Beanie, here in the pink, who was chosen as she looks very much like the real life Eileen. Lastly, we have The New Doll, also a Madame Alexander doll, from the Easter Bunny. She is currently named Syd.. after Bill's niece, as she bears a frighteningly similar appearance to real life Sydney. Syd is seen below, waving to her fans.

Now, all of The Dolls have smashing outfits with phenominal shoes.  Usually when I clean up Eileen's room.. I suddenly find myself cross-legged in her floor picking out quite the fashionable outfit for The Dolls.  This cleaning, however, I could do nothing but stop and stare. And laugh. And pose the dolls. And take pictures. And come up with fascinating tales of their lives that, of course, would give us answers as to what in the world The Dolls are wearing.

Judging by the Riding Cap atop Ruth's brown curls, she must have spent her day riding Brown Horse (not pictured). My thought is she's starting a new trend in the exclusive world of Equine.. riding one's horse in your best velvet and plaid Holiday Dress (and to be clear, the real-life Eileen has a matching one in Child Size). "But wait!" you say... what of the baby blue open toed plastic shoes? Such a contrast. The spiffy cap, the Holiday Best.. and shoes that may at one time have belonged to Mrs. Roper!  Why not?

Now Eileen. Hmm. First of all, I have been wondering why the real-life Eileen's (large) supply of barrettes has suddenly started to shrink.  I now know the answer. Eileen the doll is clearly in ParisHilton-style rehab for her addiction to barrettes.  Nothing else could explain the furry pink robe and plethora of barrettes in that head of hair. She's clearly in a state.. the glazed look into nowhere.. just sitting in that chair letting the world pass her by.  Sad what happens to Dolls these days.

And Syd. well. as the New Doll on the block.. she seems to have caved to Peer Pressure from Ruth.  Why else would such a young fresh doll also don the Holiday Best (the 2009 version) with plastic purple sandals?? Fret not- maintain hope! The innocence is still there. The bright shining eyes, the shy yet confident smile, the welcoming wave.  I must make it my mission to save this Doll - before it is too late! 

Stay tuned for the next installation of The Dolls: Extreme Makeover.