Where Best Friends Are Made!

Since Marissa was 2 years old, I had always planned to take her to the Build-a-Bear Workshop in Walnut Creek, for her 5th birthday. How exciting it would be to wait and make the event special (the doll ain't cheap, ya know!). Fast forward 3 years and she is now 5. Of course as she grew older and began hearing more about the store, seeing it as we'd walk or drive places, and holding a few of her friends stuffed build-a-bears, being 5 was not soon enough. A month or two ago she had been counting down the days until she could get her very own!

During our latest trip to Disneyland we spotted a Build-a-Bear in Downtown Disney! Thankfully her birthday was just around the corner, and how could we say no, Marissa excitedly talked Brian's ear off about what animal she wanted, the clothes the shoes, etc!

Marissa had her heart set on a brown dog - Here is Cloie!

Brian promised we'd buy the Build-a-Bear the morning prior to our flight back home. Marissa was all about Daddy, dragging him days prior to our actual adoption day, locating her favorite Dog to stuff, wanting a pink dress and roller skates!

Here is Marissa pressing the foot pedal to fill Cloie w/stuffing, and near the box of hearts to place inside Cloie! Marissa picked the checkered red and white heart - for the "Heart Ceremony", making her new best friend special to her prior to placing the heart inside Cloie's unstitched body!

Here is Cloie's first bath!

Unfortunately the roller skates needed shoes to clip onto, and Marissa really didn't want shoes, so we opted for bare feet. But just recently I gave Marissa her old Mary Jane socks to put on Cloie's paws when we walk her while running errands. Marissa and Brian headed over to the dressing room to try on outfits, which was a brilliant idea because Cloie's first outfit was so unflattering. We all gave thumbs up to the denim skirt and owl t-shirt, pink collar and lease, a dog bowl, mat and bath brush!

Getting all Cloie's adoption papers, and birth certificate.

Ready for adoption, Born March 20, 2010, 13 inches, 7 oz.! Cloie received her first pawsport visas stamp "I had furry fun in California Downtown Disney!"

Today, Marissa's actual birthday, I am giving her $20.00 to purchase additional items for Cloie, at the Walnut Creek Build-a-Bear. I'll post pictures of that later tonight.