First 'proper' dolly for DD's 2nd birthday - recommendations please

[pavlovthecat]

DD has several dolls, small 'first' dolls, scraggly and tired looking already. I am sure she will have a few more of these ones but...

We want to buy her a decent doll for her birthday, one that we can buy outfits for for birthdays and Christmas etc, that she can grow with.

There are a few out there and I don't know what the differences are, apart from clearly the price on some of them .

I don't mind spending a little, as it will be her main present, and will buy a crib etc for it.

Do the 'annabel' clothes fit other more generic dolls? Can you mix and match? Is it worth buying a 'brand' make or just going for say ELC own versions? Can you get clothes to fit these other than in that shop, at that time?

I had a Tiny Tears doll, in fact I still do! And its a right state, but was very loved, so I want DD to have these kind of memories too.

We bought the ELC Baby Millies for our dd's. They have coped well with being dragged everywhere and fed real food . I am very pleased with them, plus ELC have a no quibbles refund policy. They cry and suck a bottle and dummy and giggle but can be turned off (and mostly are). It is more of a hit with dd2 who is nearly three but that is a personality thing with dd1,,,,

VP - I looked at those! They were the ones I was thinking of I think, ELC seems to do a free crib with those as an offer sometimes don't they? Can you buy clothes for them? DD is just getting into 'changing' dolly, changing nappy, putting her to bed, feeding her, pushing her around to get her to sleep. She loves dollies and always get very distressed when she has to put them back at nursery at the end of the day.

I think DH is quite keen on those ones too.

Another vote for Baby Millie here. DD2 is 2 next month and plays with DD1's Baby Millie loads. Good sized dolly...not too big/small for carrying and dragging!

You can buy any clothes for dolls up to 46cm (i think). We get extra clothes/shoes from toys r us.

heymammy and the clothes you get from Toys R Us fit ok?

There are some gorgeous dolls on this site if you don't mind forking out a bit:

www.bambolina.co.uk

Nice, helpful seller too.

Glad to hear about baby Millie as I've just ordered her for my DD2 who will be 2 next week!

Got the crib free and also ordered a highchair. Her older sister already has Annabel, Baby Born & varying sizes of Chou Chou but still plays with them so wanted to get her something different.

Yes the crib is a quality freebie! Worth £25!!
My dd1 is not really bothered about getting her changed, and dd2 just wants her naked but I am sure that the regular doll clothes will fit just fine. DD2's has had its head completely squashed and it popped back just like before.
Don't bother with the baby carrier imo as it doesn't fit on the front of a small child well (at least not my dd1) though it is better on the back. DD1 has a white doll and dd2 the black one. I agree with HeyMammy too that they are just the right size. DD2 sleeps with hers.

I like the French Corolle dolls - prettier faces than most, real hair, good outfits and they smell of vanilla. You can get ones with plastic bodies that can go in the bath which is very popular with young children of both sexes, in my experience.
www.orchardacorns.co.uk/corolleclassic.htm

Look at all these accessories! www.creativetoyden.co.uk/Corolle-dolls.htm
And this is the one that goes in the bath
www.dollymania.co.uk/corolle-tidoo-suce-pouce-pyjamas-23505-p-414.html

Pavlov...the clothes from TrU fit fine, I think they are called You & Me. They even have wee shoes for a few ££s, just check the size it will say on the label something like "fits dolls up to 46cm".

We also got this www.toysrus.co.uk/Product.aspx/TruHome/TruToys/TruToysDolls/TruToysDollsPramsAccs/412457 which keeps the DDs going for ages. They seem to spend all their time packing and unpacking the bag

Thanks everyone! MsDemeanor, I like the idea of being able to put them in the bath, but as far as smelling like vanilla, it wont for long after DD has fed it tuna sandwiches!!!

I do want to get her an nice posh one, but she is at the age where it will not necessarily look pretty for long, so I want it to last, but not be afraid of her wrecking it too soon. She is a very harsh mummy with her dolls! !!!

msDemeanor oh I do like that one tho. the one that goes in the bath.

Maybe she can have two spoilt child!!!!

My little dd has a Corolle doll that she had when she was only two (her birthday present!) nearly two years later it still looks immaculate, and my daughter is a very normal bolshy little girl! The smell lingers incredibly well. I don't know how they do it

Hey, those look lovely! Does the one that goes in the bath really dry quickly?

The Corolle dolls look lovely