The days are long gone in which the population of stuffed animals at our house was that of a small city. Those cuddly pets started arriving before the first baby came home and they just proliferated from there. With every birthday, holiday and hospitalization came new species of animals, in all shapes and sizes.
At one point, my man built a shelf that ran the perimeter of the girls' room just to house the critters and keep them from overtaking every inch of the floor.
As the kids got older, I managed to pare down the zoo to a manageable number of favorites. A friend asked Lauren why on earth she named her favorite bear, "Pinky," when he was a lovely shade of dingy gray. He got loved on quite a bit and Lauren hadn't even noticed that he wasn't pink anymore.
Now that's true love.
And Meghan had her Tigger and "Slimy," a green, bean-filled mole that was a constant companion for many years. Slimy was great to tote around because he was so slouchy and relaxed. He's lost a lot of beans in his lifetime, but he's still good to go with a couple of stitches here and there.
Even Grayson had Buddy, a soft little stuffed boy that kept him company at night. We didn't mind him having a buddy...just don't call him a doll.
These days, the last remaining stuffed animals are all crammed into a large basket in the corner of the girls' room. It's a little sad, seeing those mementos of a childhood gone by. Darn it, now I'm going to start crying! Let's just keep it moving here by talking about Today's Small Thing.
Today's Small Thing is to rein in the herds of stuffed animals (and toys) and organize them a bit. They really don't mind being corralled and if you ask me, they seem to like having boundaries.
Do you have too many? Consider helping your child give some away, but NOT their favorites no matter how shabby they've become. Those are for memories and for reminding you of the fleeting wonder of childhood. You'll be glad you saved the ones they loved best.
POINTS: 50 for calling on Animal Control to round up the strays
If stuffed animals aren't a problem at your house, you can earn your points on toys or kids' belongings.
