My son's best friend in his elementary school years always brought his Barbie doll with him for sleepovers. Not a new, jazzy dressed one; she was definitely a well worn item, her hair a mess, all grimy like a Barbie 7 or 8 years old would be.
Not thst I think anyone my brothers or I befriended would have brought a Barbie to a sleepover, but my parents would not have allowed a second invitation to ever be issued.
Nah this is very common in houses with all boys
Momma wants a girl so she picks one and gives him a barbie
My middle brother got a barbie and ken doll once, he didn't really use them but he received them as a gift. She has only sons, everyone but her, including the recipient of the dolls knew something was off.
My aunt bought her middle son a big ass and very nice doll house, again she only has sons. He didn't have a barbie that I remember but had she felt she could push it that far i'm sure she would have.
Neither of them did that for every child, only one. And i've seen that pattern repeated in other families as well.
Only thing weird about this is she some how convinced him to carry around the barbie where normally they get thrown in a closet and forgotten.