Happy Birthday Snuffy
Today we celebrate Snuffy's birthday. I have no idea how old Snuffy is. I'll have to ask my son. Because Snuffy is my son's stuffed fox.
I have no idea WHY my son decided today was Snuffy's birthday. I just happened to glance at the Lego calendar that hangs on the wall in his room and there in the box for Saturday, May 31st was written "Snuffy's Birthday". Obviously this a momentous enough event to merit an entry on the calendar.
My son is almost nine, yet he still adores certain stuffed animals. Some never come out the toy box. Some used to come out of the toy box and now rarely do. Of course if it were up to my son, they'd ALL be out of the box and on his bed. We've had to set up a limit of 3-4 stuffed animals on the bed at night. And making the decision as to who it will be is always a difficult one.
What make a stuffed animal "special" in my son's eyes? It's a mystery to me. Although he won't get rid of a single one, there are some that just "click".
"Turtle" (originally named Sebastian Turtle by my husband and I, but then we were informed that Turtle is a girl and is just "Turtle") was probably the first stuffed animal that he got attached to. I can remember when he and Turtle were just about the same size. That's how long Turtle has been around. Turtle has some sort of rattle in her neck, which used to help us figure out when our son was awake. Or the sound would tell us that something was not quite right in the crib. Turtle has been through the wash several times and her green and pink coloring has faded and will never be quite clean again.
Bobby is a stuffed reindeer that caught his eye in Barnes and Noble one December day when he was a toddler. Once Bobby came into our lives he quickly became irreplaceable. Turtle was still important, but Bobby was more so. Pictures were drawn of Bobby and there is a "Bobby Story." This is the tale of how Bobby came to be on the store shelf and then into our home. It has been told numerous times by my husband to my son. (I would tell it here, but it isn't my story to tell.) Bobby has had his ups and downs. He's been resewn several times and restuffed (or at least partially so) at least once. (Suddenly Bobby got "fat"... a computer desk wrist rest had been sacrificed so that Bobby could be plump again).
Now there is Snuffy.
Before Christmas this year my son suddenly asked for a stuffed fox. I don't know what got into his head. I was reluctant to get yet another stuffed toy. He has so many of them. (His room has two medium sized toy boxes full of stuffed snakes, bears, cats, mice and other animals that would surprise you. How many kids have any of the following stuffed toys: manta ray, scorpion, spider, horseshoe crab, squid, octopus and even an E. Coli?) But he was persistent and my husband gave in. He ordered a very lifelike (and cute) stuffed fox on line.
It was my idea that we give it to him on Christmas Eve. But it was my husband's brilliant idea to put him out on the back step and have Snuffy "knock" on our back door. He was discovered by our son and has rarely left his side since. Not that Bobby and Turtle aren't still important members of our "family." They are. But Snuffy now has a place of honor.
Yes, he knows stuffed toys are not real. But as we have said, they are loved and if they are loved they are real to us and an important part of our family.
The time for stuffed toys is probably coming to a close. My son is maturing. And yet, his love for his stuffed animal friends has not diminished. Nor do I want it to. Maybe it's because we don't have any pets. (I have too many allergies to even consider it). So he has made these toys his "pet family." I'm glad he has.
When the day comes where stuffed toys are no longer needed to snuggle up with at night, I will put them away somewhere safe. Or maybe I will just cuddle up with them myself. (That is if my husband doesn't get to them first.) They are, and always will be, part of our family.
I have no idea WHY my son decided today was Snuffy's birthday. I just happened to glance at the Lego calendar that hangs on the wall in his room and there in the box for Saturday, May 31st was written "Snuffy's Birthday". Obviously this a momentous enough event to merit an entry on the calendar.
My son is almost nine, yet he still adores certain stuffed animals. Some never come out the toy box. Some used to come out of the toy box and now rarely do. Of course if it were up to my son, they'd ALL be out of the box and on his bed. We've had to set up a limit of 3-4 stuffed animals on the bed at night. And making the decision as to who it will be is always a difficult one.
What make a stuffed animal "special" in my son's eyes? It's a mystery to me. Although he won't get rid of a single one, there are some that just "click".
"Turtle" (originally named Sebastian Turtle by my husband and I, but then we were informed that Turtle is a girl and is just "Turtle") was probably the first stuffed animal that he got attached to. I can remember when he and Turtle were just about the same size. That's how long Turtle has been around. Turtle has some sort of rattle in her neck, which used to help us figure out when our son was awake. Or the sound would tell us that something was not quite right in the crib. Turtle has been through the wash several times and her green and pink coloring has faded and will never be quite clean again.
Bobby is a stuffed reindeer that caught his eye in Barnes and Noble one December day when he was a toddler. Once Bobby came into our lives he quickly became irreplaceable. Turtle was still important, but Bobby was more so. Pictures were drawn of Bobby and there is a "Bobby Story." This is the tale of how Bobby came to be on the store shelf and then into our home. It has been told numerous times by my husband to my son. (I would tell it here, but it isn't my story to tell.) Bobby has had his ups and downs. He's been resewn several times and restuffed (or at least partially so) at least once. (Suddenly Bobby got "fat"... a computer desk wrist rest had been sacrificed so that Bobby could be plump again).
Now there is Snuffy.
Before Christmas this year my son suddenly asked for a stuffed fox. I don't know what got into his head. I was reluctant to get yet another stuffed toy. He has so many of them. (His room has two medium sized toy boxes full of stuffed snakes, bears, cats, mice and other animals that would surprise you. How many kids have any of the following stuffed toys: manta ray, scorpion, spider, horseshoe crab, squid, octopus and even an E. Coli?) But he was persistent and my husband gave in. He ordered a very lifelike (and cute) stuffed fox on line.
It was my idea that we give it to him on Christmas Eve. But it was my husband's brilliant idea to put him out on the back step and have Snuffy "knock" on our back door. He was discovered by our son and has rarely left his side since. Not that Bobby and Turtle aren't still important members of our "family." They are. But Snuffy now has a place of honor.
Yes, he knows stuffed toys are not real. But as we have said, they are loved and if they are loved they are real to us and an important part of our family.
The time for stuffed toys is probably coming to a close. My son is maturing. And yet, his love for his stuffed animal friends has not diminished. Nor do I want it to. Maybe it's because we don't have any pets. (I have too many allergies to even consider it). So he has made these toys his "pet family." I'm glad he has.
When the day comes where stuffed toys are no longer needed to snuggle up with at night, I will put them away somewhere safe. Or maybe I will just cuddle up with them myself. (That is if my husband doesn't get to them first.) They are, and always will be, part of our family.
Stuffed friends are always important and can be lifelong fun friends ;)
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