There can become a time when old toys become new again when the next generation discovers them.
My daughter has been wanting to watch the Toy Story movies, especially Toy Story 3 where Andy goes to college, leaving the fate of his toys up in the air.
It makes me think of my own lovey. When I was 1, my aunt bought me a Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal. He started his life with his red shirt and looking all nice and yellow.
Then I loved him… a lot. He lost his shirt somewhere and his fur got matted and brown. His head isn’t on so good anyone since at one point my mom had to sew his head back on securely.
I slept with him throughout my childhood, and into my teenage years. I left him home when I went to college because I didn’t want anything to happen to him. Once I was out of college, I started sleeping with him again, especially right after my mom passed away. The only reason I stopped was because my husband started complaining that Pooh always ended up on his side of the bed.
Once my daughter was born, I was reluctant to let her have access to my bear in fear that she wouldn’t know any better and rip his head off. But now that she is a toddler, I’ve let her play with him.
She now loves him as much as I do. She insists on sleeping with him, and carries him around the house. Yes, he’s not in the best shape and he is 33 years old, but he is finding new life as a lovey for the next generation!
My daughter’s favorite toy is a stuffed dragon that was mine as a child. It wasn’t a special lovey of mine, but it meant enough to me that I kept it all these years. As a 5 year old, I (showing a literalism that would later lead to a bird named Birdo and a hamster named Hammy) named it “Dragie” and Morgan (who is probably lucky that she is not named Girl) has re-named it “Danny”. She took Danny with her on her first day of Kindergarten: http://tinyurl.com/629cz9e
(Hah hah, Katie, I have the same problems naming things!)
My baby blanket was the softest cotten quilt-esque thing that was so PERFECT that I slept with it until– actually until I was pregnant with my oldest. Yes, even after I was married, I slept with it! By then the stuffing had all bunched down to one corner and it was more of a pillow with a long tail. But I decided I ought to restuff it and pass it on to the next generation. My first-born latched on to a crocheted one somebody gave him instead, but my DAUGHTER, now two, has just recently started dragging my old blanket around with her– much to the amusement of my parents.
I never thought, in a million years, that I’d see another pooh bear like that!! Mine is sans shirt (and one ear) as well, but his wind up music box still plays after 35 years. 🙂 Here’s to keeping loveys alive!!
I actually had to take pooh away from my daughter because he need ear surgery – she was playing a little rough with him. But I’ll sew him up and he’ll be as good as new.