Before he was even born, Colter was given a stuffed bunny. It was a sweet little rabbit with bells in its soft cotton toes. This was the first stuffed animal Colter clutched, chewed and couldn't be without.
As he grew a little older, he sunk his teeth into a multi-colored inchworm (we called it "inchy") that he played with during diaper changes. Then, it was Elmo. He had one at home and one at preschool because he couldn't sleep without it. After that, there was Pooh. And Boomer. And Blue Bear.
Colter is the only 8-year-old boy I know who still loves stuffed animals.
And I love him for it.
Even though he won't walk down the "girl" aisle in the toy store, he has no problem spending his allowance on stuffed animals (although these days, they're Pokemon characters).
I still remember the first stuffed animal I ever loved -- it was my sister's Snoopy. I also had a little lamb that played "Brahm's lullaby."
Some nights I still wish I had it.
Devlynn love Molly, the catch is Molly can change everyday. She started out as a doll but has become many different thing. Even her imaginary friend at one point.
Posted by: gail | October 22, 2004 at 07:19 PM
Tony has a little stuffed dog about eight inches long of unknown breed. It's tan and white, with curled over ears and is lying with it's short paws out in front and behind.
He's called "Freckles" and Tony's had him since he was six weeks old. If Freckles is misplaced, Tony is devistated.
A close friend to Freckles is "Tyler" a tan cocker spaniel type dog that is about three times the size of Freckles.
Posted by: VJ | September 26, 2004 at 05:46 PM
My younger daughter has a green stuffed crocodile named "Croakie", given to her when she was an infant by an ex-coworker of my husband. My daughter is now almost nine and, of all her stuffed animals (and there are many!), Croakie is still her favorite "sleep friend." He's been loved very hard for a very long time, and has survived several major surgeries, but I'm convinced he'll be going off to college with my daughter in a few years...
Posted by: Cindy | September 24, 2004 at 12:48 PM
Oh, Puppy, our beloved. Bought as a quiet-only-twenty-stores-left diversion, Puppy is my BigBoy's constant companion. Thank goodness I went back and bought seven more before the line was discontinued. Now we rotate them out for wear and washing. Of course we have one for my car, one for husband's car, one for grandma's house, etc.
Posted by: Clare | September 23, 2004 at 09:41 PM
It changes almost every week. This week, the big bear is the cuddle of coice. Last week it was two beany puppies :)
Posted by: Helene | September 23, 2004 at 08:55 PM
Avery is 9 and he still loves stuffed animals. In fact my toddler likes to climb up to the top bunk and steal them from him (and yes many of them are Pokemon). His favorite is a Build-a-Bear his father made for him on his first long business trip. He told Avery the bear would keep company whenever he was away. He adores that bear.
Posted by: Nancy | September 23, 2004 at 03:34 PM
Both my kids don't favor stuffed animals as toys which is a shame for me because I love them!
When my DS does play with them, he's partial to a Tickle Me Elmo one.
My DD likes a brown plaid bear that she got from one of her uncles for Christmas. She's got others that she falls "in like" with for a few days here and there, but she doesn't really have any favorite ones.
Over the years, she's received many as birthday and Christmas gifts, but many of them are now collecting dust in our storage area.
Posted by: betty | September 23, 2004 at 03:20 PM
It started out that Kayla had a little stuffed baby doll. She ended up naming her Tic. After we had a scare and it got lost, we went to the toy store and ended up buyin the last 3 they had. Her replacement was named Tac....(like the candy Tic Tac). She couldn't sleep without the baby and couldn't go out of the house without it. After a few months passed we found Tic in DJ's military gear, so Tic ended up being a crib baby...she wasn't allowed out of the crib and Kayla would carry around Tac. It is so funny, 2 of them have holes in the them, that have been lovingly sewn back together. The other 2 are in her toy box and are only taken out on rare occasions.
Posted by: Nikki | September 23, 2004 at 03:11 PM
My sons are now 17 and 21. The 21 year old is a tough, savvy business-type guy, and is the Chairman of the Senate at his University for the second in a row. And hidden in his closet, (though on a rather prominent shelf), are two of his favorite stuffed animals from when he was a kid. When I saw they were still there and treasured, it gave me the best feeling that the little boy I once had here had not entirely disappeared in the man that's here now.
Posted by: toni | September 23, 2004 at 02:32 PM
A body-pillow-sized, very soft Eyore.
My sister sent it to her when she was 6 and broke her arm. She is 12, and never sleeps without him ... even takes him to sleepovers. This, of course is a little frightening to me as a parent, because you can imagine after 6 years of being "loved" Eyore does not look so great!
Posted by: Nancy | September 23, 2004 at 10:18 AM
This is too funny. I was doing a similar post for dotmoms tomorrow! Back to the word board! Tyler is 12. He will not travel or sleep at a friend's house without Sammy the soft-bodied doll I made for him 8 years ago, and his 3 beanie dolls-a monkey, a bear and a puppy. He even carries them on a plane so if his luggage gets lost, he'll have his "buddies" to snuggle down to sleep with. I love it.
Posted by: kelly | September 23, 2004 at 09:07 AM
Our older son had "baby bear" made by his great-grandmother out of the soft old fuzzy lining of a trench coat. Baby Bear is now part of the menagerie that occupies his daughter's bed. Our second son had a blanket and a panda bear..and Kermit. Kermit will certainly grace the room of his someday child. He also had Rudy Kenyon, a Cabbage Patch doll who also sits and waits with Kermit. Seeing these treasures makes me smile.
Posted by: Fran | September 23, 2004 at 07:52 AM