February, 1970. My dad sitting on our "davenport" which is what my mom always called it. Dad is holding new baby brother Lee who is a month old at best. I am, at 2 1/2 , holding my baby,"Susie." Susie had the poor misfortune of being dragged around by her hair. I am certain she was loved in a way equal to that of The Velveteen Rabbit. She became shabby over time, but was a constant companion.
After I had gone away to college (okay, so the college was only 4 blocks from my childhood home, a mere technicality) perhaps in a fit of nostalgia, my mom gave me one of my most treasured gifts ever.
She had taken Susie to the doll doctor and had her re-made. She got a brand new wig, a new outfit and had been significantly cleaned up. To top it all off, my dad, who was a cabinet worker by trade, built a tiny chair for her to sit on. She sits next to my bed on her chair. She is only 1 of many treasures from years past that I love to surround myself with.
She has added a bit more character over the past few years. She currently sports a purple marker splotch on her forehead lovingly applied by one of the boys. She has lost the two pretty pink ribbons in her now droopy pigtails, and her hair has a tendency to slide a bit on her head. But she is a trooper, that Susie. She has lasted through one generation already and is well into her second. I can't help but think, nothing would please me more, than to someday see her in the hands of another little child, a third generation.
Do you have an heirloom item that has been handed down in your family or do you have one you intend to hand down?
Oh, I SO get you and Susie. I have a couple stuffed animals that were loved like the Velveteen, too. I have "Archie", the pink dog that was my first love, and "Sugar" a yellow bear that became my true love. He has no stuffing left in his neck, his plastic eyes have been scratched down and re-markered, and he finally lost his nose when a certain white dog came into my life and thought it looked tasty.
ReplyDeleteBecause of the pup, Archie and Sugar are put in a closet until a little person comes over to play... but they are treasured, for sure.
The oldest stuffed animal that was handed down to me was Monkey... http://gitzengirl.blogspot.com/2008/06/monkey-business.html
I have a teddy bear my grandmother owned and all my dolls still. Strangely my daughter didn't like dolls. So I am still playing with them hoping for grandchildren one day!! Werent you a cutie as well! You can tell its you, see we don't really change.
ReplyDeleteOh what a DARLING picture!! You are so beautiful. :)
ReplyDeleteI still have my Barbie and Ken from the 60's that will go to my daughter. Barbie still looks great but she should - she started OUT with plastic surgery!
Love your doll story and how she's keepin' it real by staying in the game and being loved into rattiness. :) (And tell your folks that what they did was SOOOO sweet! What a nice mom and dad!)
I only have my Raggedy Ann, which I'm going to get out of the attic TODAY! My girls played with her just a little, but she didn't mean as much to them as she did to me. Maybe I'll pass her along to my granddaughter.
ReplyDeleteBut let's talk non-cuddley items...let's talk: BOOKS!!!!! Oh so many from my childhood that my children loved and will certainly be passed along. I found my snuggly comfort in books I suppose more than dolls. They are what I cherish. They are what I'll pass on.
(Do you see how wonderful you are at asking questions that get us excited and chatty?)love you~
Sara,
ReplyDeleteI totally looked up your monkey! Now that is a good story... love the photo of the monkey with Riley. Would love to see a picture of Archie and Sugar!!
Lilly,
I would love to see pictures of YOU as a young girl playing with her dolls! What kind of dolls did you have? I think you are right, we don't change a lot at all.
Robynn,
I have all of my barbie and ken dolls too! I would love to see a picture of yours... mine were probably mid70's or so. My parents got a kick out of seeing these photos and hearing my story :)
Robin Rane,
Now where do you suppose I get these fabulous ideas from in the first place? I love the "community" feel of a blog and you all are so great at inspiring that!
And you know I now want a whole post on your children's book collection Robin! PUHLEASSEEEE!!
What a sweet post. Thank you for showing us your baby doll! Have tried an alcohol swab on her forehead? It gets marker off of a lot of things, but I don't know about dolls.
ReplyDeleteI feel so bad because when my grandmother's belongings were being auctioned, it didn't even occur to me that my children might want one of the old dolls to keep. I didn't play with her dolls but my cousins did, so I let them take the dolls and what was left went to strangers. I have some of her jewelry but I most treasure odd little things she kept, like a locket made to hold two dice, a penny encased in a silver frame that says, "Hang on to me and you'll never go broke," and a wagon pendant I can remember her wearing.
I also have her Aggravation game that my brother gave her when he was very small. All the family has played it. She loved it and used it regularly from the time he gave it to her until she passed away in '05. It was handed to him and in '08 his wife passed it to me. It is hard to look at it right now, but one day I will display it. BTW, there's a loaded die in it that Mammy always grabbed first. :)
Oh Anita this is great! I loved the idea of things like an encased penny, or a locket for dice! Those are unique and special because of the memories you attach to them.
ReplyDeleteBut my favorite part is the Aggravation game! Thank you for sharing such a special treasure with us. Prayers to you!!
And I'm going to go and try some alcohol on Susie's head now!
Thanks for sharing! I have a set of three stuffed gingerbread men (mommy, daddy, baby) that play music and their heads rotate. The "daddy" was the most loved and very worn!
ReplyDeleteHi Kristin,
ReplyDeleteA gingerbread family! Do your own children play with them? Or is the daddy too fragile for playing with these days? How fun to have you come over and visit!
How sweet - I still have my little girl doll also - mine was a baby Tenderlove. She is packed away. We both spent years dressing our babie doll girls and our barbies...good thing we had our little girl fix that way. Guess since Debbi played with balls and trucks that is why she has the two little girls....(laughing)...
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