Thanks to American Girl for sending us their 2019 Girl of The Year! All opinions expressed here are my own.

Reinforcing Real Life Connections and Friendship with American Girl 2019 Girl of The Year 

Girl of the Year 2019 – Blaire Wilson has arrived!! Every year around this time BabyCake and I patiently wait for the new American Girl doll to be announced! We (I mean BabyCake, right?) collect American Girl dolls. Each Girl of the Year has a unique and exciting story, and Blaire Wilson help girls to explore their creativity and make meaningful connections with others. With the digital age and a time when everything is online, this is so important! Even though many of you know that my family doesn’t own a TV, my children still get some screen time on their tablets and spend time connecting with their peers online. Blaire is a “people person” and she loves to get family and friends together around the dinner table, so girls will learn the importance of staying connected to the people they love and care about in the real word. I love this messaging because it reinforces making those real life in person connections that matter the most. While the internet has been beneficial to keep us connected, so many friendships and bonds can be lost without in person communication.  

Blaire’s family owns a restaurant, Bed-and-Breakfast, and farm. I love the incorporation of the idea of a family owned business and there are many parallels that my daughter can relate to since both of her parents are entrepreneurs. There is even mention of bloggers in Blaire’s story, and Blaire’s mom even does food photography! 

There are so many great messages in Blaire’s story, that many of us can relate to these days. One message that especially hits close to home is that Blaire has food sensitivities, she is lactose intolerant. As many of you know, my son has food sensitivities associated with his epilepsy. It’s nice to see this highlighted in an American Girl characters because I’m sure some girls who read Blaire’s story and their siblings suffer from food sensitivities as well. It adds a level of normalcy to different challenges children face today. 

BabyCake and I have enjoyed reading Blaire’s stories together. Her first book “Blaire” by Jennifer Castle introduces you to Blaire and her family, and her creative ideas and messages of staying connected through friendship. Currently she has one other book in her series, “Blaire Cooks Up A Plan” and more books that are apart of her collection will be released throughout the year. 

Check your local American Girl Store for the date and times on this exclusive Blaire Event: 

Blaire’s Family Dinner Series

“Sitting down together as a family to share a meal is so important. To help families come together, American Girl is pleased to support The Family Dinner Project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, which promotes healthy connections through food, fun, and conversations about things that matter. Inspired by our newest Girl of the Year, Blaire Wilson, we invite you to enjoy a no-tech evening of food, fun, and conversation. You’ll have time to connect with your loved ones and dine on farm-to-table recipes inspired by Blaire’s stories. This event also includes a “create your own appetizer station”, family-style desserts, and a special goody bag with an American Girl picture frame and resources to support family dinners at home.”

We’ve enjoyed playing with Blaire Wilson and reading her stories! 

You can find the new American Girl 2019 Girl of the Year Blaire Wilson and her collection online at AmericanGirl.com and at your local American Girl stores!