As An Adult, Do You Still Remember Your Stuffed Animals?

[Smith1942]

As an adult, do you still remember and love your stuffed animals from childhood?

The thoroughbreds would like to know.

 

[TooPatient]

Yes!

I had to cut down on the ones I was hanging on to because I had 4 large contractor bags stuffed with them... plus some more in other bags.

I've still got some of my most special sitting in the office with me now. I also have some of my grandma's stuffed animals (she got later in life) here too. The ones that were generic (I got them at yard sales for a quarter each) and had no specific memory got sent to new homes. I have slowly cut it down from there until I have just a dozen of the most special. The animals who kept me company through many scary nights. They were with me through some of my most horrible memories and were always there to snuggle and make me feel safe.

A couple of mixed-emotion animals got sent out to the storage shed. I have a couple of them still but the others went to new homes as I've been able to work past the bad events I acquired them through. (btw, donate new stuffed animals of all shapes to your local police department -- they bring comfort to children when bad events happen in life)

 

[monarch64]

Yes. Those are adorable, Smith. I was given several lovely plush toys during my childhood. I don't have pictures of them all, but I had lots of Beatrix Potter stuffed toys, Babar and Celeste, which reside in my daughter's closet until she would like to play with them nicely, and several North American Bear V.I.B.'s. Other favorites were a sherpa fleece lamb, and a very soft white polar bear. Oh, and a Mother Goose stuffed toy that was gigantic and whose neck (wire) was quickly broken from too much love, so she became sort of a wounded warrior in my room. But I loved her anyway, for years.

My daughter has several of my old stuffed loves to play with now, that is when her hands and face are clean and the dog is in her crate and can't run off with them to decimate them. I posted pics of a couple of my V.I.B.'s with her on the 0-12 month thread when A was about 6 months old. I'll see if I can find one to post here.

ETA: found one of A and "Bearly Temple" It's not great, but you can see what I mean.

 

[Ally T]

Those horses are sweet!

I only ever really was in love with one, a small teddy bear called, imaginatively enough, 'Bear'

But I have taken him everywhere in life since he was given to me on my 5th Birthday, he is still in good nick despite his 35 years of age & now he sleeps in my eldest daughters bed. She loves that he's on pictures with me when I was her age. He's very precious.

 

[Trekkie]

Remember them? I still have them!

I have a little pink teddy and an enormous (4') pink teddy. I don't have any pics of them now, but I do have a pic of myself dragging the big one out of the car when I was just a toddler.

Sadly, I have lost my Snoopy and my Moemfie.

This thread needs more pictures!!

 

[missy]

Oh gosh, I remember one. A big blue elephant-bigger than I was at the time. I think I was about 3 or 4 and the elephant was over 5 feet tall and my aunt and uncle bought him for me. Sadly I cannot remember his name but I promise you I really loved him at the time and kept him for many years till he was so tattered and worn my parents had to get rid of him. I remember vaguely it was quite traumatic for me.

 

[JillyC]

I still have mine tucked away somewhere, a one eared rabbit. Loved her!

Thanks for the suggestion, Too Patient, to donate to the police department. I hadn't thought of that, it's a good idea!

 

[packrat]

I still have mine, in a glass cabinet in our room. My Snoopy that my gramma Maybelle gave me when I was in the hospital when I was 9 months old. It was bigger than me and I used to drag it all over. (it's not a big Snoopy, I just was abnormally small) I slept w/him up until..um..we'd been married about a year or so I think? And I have my dad's teddy bear, Brownie, and my first CPK, Bret Michael. All up in the cabinet.

 

[chrono]

I only had 2 growing up; one was a hand-sized rock hard panda and the second was a plushy pony not much bigger than the panda. They have either been thrown away or donated to another relative.

 

[dragonfly411]

I do remember some, but not all. I had the 5 family set of 101 dalmations that had pongo and purdy and three of the puppies. I had a palomino stuffed horse. I had a calico cat from TY that I loved, it was big and fluffy.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Yes, I remember I had a little seal and a gray teddy bear and a bunch more. I obviously was a PSer even in my youth as I pierced all my stuffed animals ears and they wore earrings!

 

[joyluck]

I remember them quite fondly. I wish I was able to take better care of them so I would still have them now! I do have quite a collection still but there's nothing like the "firsts."

 

[distracts]

I had many many many and I remember most of them. The ones that have moved with me into my husband's home are Zip the cat (a beanie baby that was originally a stocking stuffer) and Misty the horse (from FAO Schwarz - I fell in love with her when I first saw her, forced my mom to buy her to give her to me for my birthday, when I unwrapped her almost immediately her hoof broke off but I loved THAT SPECIFIC ONE so rather than returning it I sewed the hoof back on, where it remains to this day). They are both well loved and have, for much of my life, slept at the head of my bed. Since college, they have slept in the drawer of my bedside table.

I had a couple hundred beanie babies by the end of the beanie craze. When it started, my dad had taken a new job that required him to travel a lot, and he would buy a beanie baby each for me and my brother whenever he had a business trip. I don't think we had any super rare ones but we really liked all of them anyway! I still use a lot of them as seasonal decorations. They're small, can fit anywhere, and it doesn't matter if your friends' kids start playing with them while at a party.

I also had a lot of puppets. My favorites were a gopher and a big plush grey rabbit.

 

[Smith1942]

I had many many many and I remember most of them. The ones that have moved with me into my husband's home are Zip the cat (a beanie baby that was originally a stocking stuffer) and Misty the horse (from FAO Schwarz - I fell in love with her when I first saw her, forced my mom to buy her to give her to me for my birthday, when I unwrapped her almost immediately her hoof broke off but I loved THAT SPECIFIC ONE so rather than returning it I sewed the hoof back on, where it remains to this day). They are both well loved and have, for much of my life, slept at the head of my bed. Since college, they have slept in the drawer of my bedside table.

I had a couple hundred beanie babies by the end of the beanie craze. When it started, my dad had taken a new job that required him to travel a lot, and he would buy a beanie baby each for me and my brother whenever he had a business trip. I don't think we had any super rare ones but we really liked all of them anyway! I still use a lot of them as seasonal decorations. They're small, can fit anywhere, and it doesn't matter if your friends' kids start playing with them while at a party.

I also had a lot of puppets. My favorites were a gopher and a big plush grey rabbit.

Her hoof broke off??

Now look what you've done!

 

[Smith1942]

Someone said this thread needs more pix, so here is Mickey Moose doing his best bull moose impression.

 

[momhappy]

Sure, I remember some of them, but I don't actually have any of them as an adult.

 

[Amber St. Clare]

I had a patchwork bear named cornelius, so I calledhim Corny. My oh so maternal mother threw him out the first day I
started kindergarten and really smacked me around when I cried over it.

My son couldn't throw away his "Chuckie" Pound Pal, and I have it in one of my drawers.

 

[Dee*Jay]

I had tons of them as a child but the one that means the most is a stuffed beanie knock-off pig that the XH and I named POG. POG is Mr. Personality Plus... He talks to us in this goofy voice, has a bigger wardrobe than I do (although his clothes are MIA since my last move and he's P!SSED OFF about it -- I get an earful). Bill and I used to buy him things whenever we would go places. He's got furniture, musical instruments, dishes, you name it. He even had his own remote controlled red VW bug that he used to ride around in but when Oscar was a puppy he chewed it up a bit (and YES, we heard about that too!).

Reading all this, I'm starting to sound a little crazy--even to myself! Oh well, it is what it is. We have a BALL with that damn pig!

ETA: I forgot, Bill's mother even got in on it. She bought POG a girlfriend (Pigoletta) and we left POG in New Hampshire with her for a week after we visited one time. She make this great photo book of POG and Pigoletta doing stuff together. It was a hoot!

 

[woofmama]

I remember quite a few of them, especially my favorite Lambsy. He was a stuffed fluffy Lamb-pretty obvious huh.

I had left him and all of my teddy bears and dolls boxed up in my parents attic along with a bunch of my other favorite childhood memorabilia. Unfortunately their house burned down in 1998 and everything is gone. They lost their all of their belongings and their pets. Very sad
It was heartbreaking, so honestly I didn't give my childhood stuff much thought.
Time has past though and the new house built on the same lot is much nicer.

 

[Smith1942]

I had a patchwork bear named cornelius, so I calledhim Corny. My oh so maternal mother threw him out the first day I
started kindergarten and really smacked me around when I cried over it.

My son couldn't throw away his "Chuckie" Pound Pal, and I have it in one of my drawers.

Amber, that is terrible. I think you've mentioned on PS before about your mother......I can't believe she threw Corny away and spanked you for being upset. Poor Corny, poor you.

((((Amber)))))

((((Corny))))


I think you should buy yourself a new patchwork bear, in memory of Cornelius, I really do. The new bear's middle name could be Cornelius. What about this little guy below? He's from a company called Eddie Bauer. Alternatively, there's a company which will make your old clothes or your children's old clothes into a patchwork bear to preserve your memories, or they sell readymade bears too. www.patchworkbear.com

 

[luv2sparkle]

I had a "funny monkey". That is what I called him. I think I remember him because I have pictures of myself with him. I have one son who loved loved loved dalmatians and had four or five of them and they all had names. I think he slept with them in his bed until he went to college. Don't tell him I said that. His favorite was Rolly. He was really sentimental about them. Another son had a monkey who looked like curious george and he called him 'George'. We still have him too. My other two boys didn't have stuffed animals that they loved. My daughter had a stuffed cat that had a baby attached to her mouth but it wasn't very cuddly.

 

[Smith1942]

Luv, I wonder what happened to Funny Monkey!

 

[House Cat]

I came down with allergies when I was about 4 years old. The doctor told my mom to throw away all of my stuffed animals. My step-dad kept one stuffed frog for me in his work truck. He was only my mom's boyfriend at the time...in my mind, he was the greatest man in the world for doing such a thing.

 

[marcy]

I had a lot of stuff animals as a kid. I loved them. Most of them were Snoopy or rabbits. I thinned out my collection when I got married but still have some of my favorites plus the last few years I started collecting teddy bears and got my husband a little hand sized killer rabbit (ala Monty Python) and the battle has been on between the killer rabbit and my teddy bears. I'll come home to find the rabbits chewing on my teddy bears. I now have 8 bears and he has 7 killer rabbits. The original KR travels with world with DH when he goes on the road for work.

Here is our Christmas tree full of killer rabbits. We just got it put up today.

 

[JewelFreak]

Mickey Moose!!

You can't laugh at mine, because he's disfigured. You'll hurt his feelings. His name is Tedzer Bear & my grandfather gave him to my mother for me-to-be (I was still in the oven for another 3 months). Tedzer is only about 6" tall. He has been with me through thick and thin, most of the "thin" his. He went everywhere I did when I was little, and we enrolled in college together. Now he has reached a dignified retirement & sits proudly on my dresser next to Paddington Bear and a couple of stuffed Siberians (plus my jewelry box, highest honor I could give him).

Tedzer was born with black shoe-button eyes & a snout that any bear would envy. When we were both about 6 he insisted on coming along to spend a night at a friend's house. However, her dog did not welcome competition of the furry variety; in the morning I found Ted badly mauled & on the brink of death. Shedding buckets of tears, cradling Tedzer tenderly, I rode my bike home where my grandmother, who fortunately was visiting, performed emergency surgery. (She was a world-renowned toy doctor.) So Ted has optical transplants and still sees everything, of course; the scars on his face are honorable war wounds. He has trouble gaining weight, though, because the dog ate his stuffing.

Tedzer suffered further trauma in college when my bored roommate -- an idiot -- and her friend, a bigger idiot, tore off his head and threw him out of a 2nd-story window into the woods. It was pure psychopathy -- Ted always sat quietly next to my makeup mirror & never judged or bothered anyone. Senses of humor vary: Ted & I didn't laugh but the 2 others crowed with hilarity. So, having watched my grandmother's professional expertise, I knew how to re-attach his head, though his neck is kinda short. You can see that he has earned his quiet days lounging on my jewelry box. I love Ted as much now as when we were both young & unwrinkled.

BUT. If my mother had given me in addition (NEVER instead), this teddy, I wouldn't have said no:


Graff pink diamond & 2 color gold brooch. Sotheby's estimate $125K to $175K.


He is articulated & can pose a number of ways.


--- Laurie

 

[Smith1942]

I had tons of them as a child but the one that means the most is a stuffed beanie knock-off pig that the XH and I named POG. POG is Mr. Personality Plus... He talks to us in this goofy voice, has a bigger wardrobe than I do (although his clothes are MIA since my last move and he's P!SSED OFF about it -- I get an earful). Bill and I used to buy him things whenever we would go places. He's got furniture, musical instruments, dishes, you name it. He even had his own remote controlled red VW bug that he used to ride around in but when Oscar was a puppy he chewed it up a bit (and YES, we heard about that too!).

Reading all this, I'm starting to sound a little crazy--even to myself! Oh well, it is what it is. We have a BALL with that damn pig!

ETA: I forgot, Bill's mother even got in on it. She bought POG a girlfriend (Pigoletta) and we left POG in New Hampshire with her for a week after we visited one time. She make this great photo book of POG and Pigoletta doing stuff together. It was a hoot!

My husband and I talk to our rabbits and our moose, and our horses too, and they absolutely talk back. I think your toys sound as if they live the life of Riley, with a car and everything! POG will end up really spoiled if you're not careful, you know.

 

[Smith1942]

I came down with allergies when I was about 4 years old. The doctor told my mom to throw away all of my stuffed animals. My step-dad kept one stuffed frog for me in his work truck. He was only my mom's boyfriend at the time...in my mind, he was the greatest man in the world for doing such a thing.

It's so terrible that your toys had to be thrown away. Reminds me of the scene at the end of the Velveteen Rabbit when all the toys had to be burnt because the boy had had scarlet fever. No, I'm not going to think about it.

How lovely of your step-dad to keep your froggie!!

 

[Smith1942]

I had a lot of stuff animals as a kid. I loved them. Most of them were Snoopy or rabbits. I thinned out my collection when I got married but still have some of my favorites plus the last few years I started collecting teddy bears and got my husband a little hand sized killer rabbit (ala Monty Python) and the battle has been on between the killer rabbit and my teddy bears. I'll come home to find the rabbits chewing on my teddy bears. I now have 8 bears and he has 7 killer rabbits. The original KR travels with world with DH when he goes on the road for work.

Here is our Christmas tree full of killer rabbits. We just got it put up today.

What on earth is a killer rabbit???

 

[Smith1942]

Mickey Moose!!

You can't laugh at mine, because he's disfigured. You'll hurt his feelings. His name is Tedzer Bear & my grandfather gave him to my mother for me-to-be (I was still in the oven for another 3 months). Tedzer is only about 6" tall. He has been with me through thick and thin, most of the "thin" his. He went everywhere I did when I was little, and we enrolled in college together. Now he has reached a dignified retirement & sits proudly on my dresser next to Paddington Bear and a couple of stuffed Siberians (plus my jewelry box, highest honor I could give him).

Tedzer was born with black shoe-button eyes & a snout that any bear would envy. When we were both about 6 he insisted on coming along to spend a night at a friend's house. However, her dog did not welcome competition of the furry variety; in the morning I found Ted badly mauled & on the brink of death. Shedding buckets of tears, cradling Tedzer tenderly, I rode my bike home where my grandmother, who fortunately was visiting, performed emergency surgery. (She was a world-renowned toy doctor.) So Ted has optical transplants and still sees everything, of course; the scars on his face are honorable war wounds. He has trouble gaining weight, though, because the dog ate his stuffing.

Tedzer suffered further trauma in college when my bored roommate -- an idiot -- and her friend, a bigger idiot, tore off his head and threw him out of a 2nd-story window into the woods. It was pure psychopathy -- Ted always sat quietly next to my makeup mirror & never judged or bothered anyone. Senses of humor vary: Ted & I didn't laugh but the 2 others crowed with hilarity. So, having watched my grandmother's professional expertise, I knew how to re-attach his head, though his neck is kinda short. You can see that he has earned his quiet days lounging on my jewelry box. I love Ted as much now as when we were both young & unwrinkled.

BUT. If my mother had given me in addition (NEVER instead), this teddy, I wouldn't have said no:


Graff pink diamond & 2 color gold brooch. Sotheby's estimate $125K to $175K.


He is articulated & can pose a number of ways.


--- Laurie

JewelFreak, I'm completely traumatised by Tedzer's story. I can't believe he was torn apart TWICE! He must really hate dogs and humans. Poor, poor Tedzer. Well, I think he looks lovely now. I would never laugh at him. He is a wise and handsome bear. I think he should be Sir Tedzer, in recognition of his war wounds. Yes, he has earned his quiet days!

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

Yes and they survived Superstorm Sandy in my Mother's basement. They were in one of those giant storage containers and the container was full of stuffed animals so it floated and survived. I know I have a little stuffed Panda and a Giraffe from trips to the zoo as a child and a few of my favorite Beanie Babies that I saved while I got rid of the hundreds of others.