don't let your daughter play with stuffed animals...

[walnut]

I think having a snuggle-toy is more important for the babies, irregardless of it's gender, than giving a toy gun for a baby boy, or putting a baby doll in a baby girl's arms to condition them to act according to their gender.

I'm pretty sure that once it comes to having children, we'll be buying educational toys.

(I have a fear of bacteria, unfortunately. I think that a stuffed animal is never clean. I have an unhealthy fear of objects that are difficult to be cleansed thoroughly. Again, it's unhealthy, I don't know what to do about it yet. My house is over-disinfected. Always.)

[Curious]

I was recently talking to one of my best friends and lamenting the fact that I'd never been to Build-A-Bear but really wanted to go. Turns out, she was thinking the same thing - now we're planning a field trip to one of their stores and I'm so freaking excited about it.

If I am feeling REALLY down about something. Just like pit of despair down, my husband will take me to build a bear. It's impossible to be unhappy in build a bear. Just watching the kids in there will make even the coldest, blackest heart melt. They are SO excited and happy. Making your own stuffie is great though. I have a hard time choosing and I always have to peek at clothes first to see if there is something I really like because if there is, it will influence what I get. You can't dress a giraffe as easily as a bear or bunny, for example ;)

My birthday is coming up next week and I hadn't really thought of anything I wanted, but now I think I want a trip to build a bear :)

[Curious]

I think having a snuggle-toy is more important for the babies, irregardless of it's gender, than giving a toy gun for a baby boy, or putting a baby doll in a baby girl's arms to condition them to act according to their gender.

I'm pretty sure that once it comes to having children, we'll be buying educational toys.

(I have a fear of bacteria, unfortunately. I think that a stuffed animal is never clean. I have an unhealthy fear of objects that are difficult to be cleansed thoroughly. Again, it's unhealthy, I don't know what to do about it yet. My house is over-disinfected. Always.)

There are a lot of stuffies you can just toss in the washer and dryer now. Especially ones made for babies.

[walnut]

I know that. I just have to sit down with my ocd and explain it, too : ) Interestingly I don't mind dirty diapers, I don't mind fixing them when my friends need some rest, but one saliva-covered dirty teddy bear makes me run for my life. No logic there. I'm not even looking anymore.

[Ariel]

Anyway--She was talking with her guest (not sure who he was) about how because of birth control and abortion, women are now choosing not to have kids because kids are expensive, take away your freedom, and ultimately because women are super super selfish and also sluts.

And what's wrong with that!? :lol: I occasionally think I might change my mind about kids, but then I have experiences like the past weekend where I was forced to hang out with an 8 year old girl. :shock:

I do think one of the first signs of my impending childlessness was the fact that I had an imaginary cat as opposed to an imaginary friend when I was 3.

[already hungover]

I think having a snuggle-toy is more important for the babies, irregardless of it's gender, than giving a toy gun for a baby boy, or putting a baby doll in a baby girl's arms to condition them to act according to their gender.

I'm pretty sure that once it comes to having children, we'll be buying educational toys.

(I have a fear of bacteria, unfortunately. I think that a stuffed animal is never clean. I have an unhealthy fear of objects that are difficult to be cleansed thoroughly. Again, it's unhealthy, I don't know what to do about it yet. My house is over-disinfected. Always.)

My mother was big on sneaking my stuffed dog Squashy, mentioned on the first page, away for a wash when he looked grungy. Eventually, I caught on and kept voicing concerns that he'd fall apart in the washer. She assured me that no such thing would happen. When I was 3 or 4, she had him in the washer and I kept asking, "Is he done yet? Is he done yet? You should check in case he's done!" Imagine her horror when she opened the lid of the washer to find Squashy's forlorn, empty "skin" and most of his stuffing stuck to the walls of the drum. "He's not quite done yet!" she cried, and had to wait until I went to bed to restuff him and sew him back together, good as new. I'm sure she was wishing that there was a "Squashy 2" waiting in a closet somewhere to be brought out in case of just such a catastrophe...

[mockingbird]

My mother was big on sneaking my stuffed dog Squashy, mentioned on the first page, away for a wash when he looked grungy. Eventually, I caught on and kept voicing concerns that he'd fall apart in the washer. She assured me that no such thing would happen. When I was 3 or 4, she had him in the washer and I kept asking, "Is he done yet? Is he done yet? You should check in case he's done!" Imagine her horror when she opened the lid of the washer to find Squashy's forlorn, empty "skin" and most of his stuffing stuck to the walls of the drum. "He's not quite done yet!" she cried, and had to wait until I went to bed to restuff him and sew him back together, good as new. I'm sure she was wishing that there was a "Squashy 2" waiting in a closet somewhere to be brought out in case of just such a catastrophe...

Oh wow! I'm impressed she was able to do the repair though! I think my mom put stuffed animals in a pillowcase?

Speaking of cleanliness, I had a bone marrow transplant when I was about 1 and my family had to follow strict cleanliness/hygeine rules for awhile after that. I absolutely HATED The Velveteen Rabbit book for years because I didn't understand why the boy's parents/doctors would be so cruel as to burn the rabbit, when they could just Lysol it or throw it in the washer/dryer (because that's what people did with my stuffed animals and I was also sick and needed to be kept away from germs). This was before I understood the concept of history obviously - but I understood germ theory. :lol: (Kohl's was selling a Velveteen Rabbit stuffed animal awhile ago and I wanted to rescue it, but never got around to buying one.)

[walnut]

My mother was big on sneaking my stuffed dog Squashy, mentioned on the first page, away for a wash when he looked grungy. Eventually, I caught on and kept voicing concerns that he'd fall apart in the washer. She assured me that no such thing would happen. When I was 3 or 4, she had him in the washer and I kept asking, "Is he done yet? Is he done yet? You should check in case he's done!" Imagine her horror when she opened the lid of the washer to find Squashy's forlorn, empty "skin" and most of his stuffing stuck to the walls of the drum. "He's not quite done yet!" she cried, and had to wait until I went to bed to restuff him and sew him back together, good as new. I'm sure she was wishing that there was a "Squashy 2" waiting in a closet somewhere to be brought out in case of just such a catastrophe...

I'm putting myself in your shoes as a little child and I find it to be horrifying. To them, it IS a catastrophe. I know how my friends feel when their kids lose their snuggle toys - it is pretty much the end of the world for them. It leaves the kids heartbroken.

I will probably buy a blanket (or a 100 of them, in bulk, same size and color) and replace them once they are too yucky. I don't want to break my future kids' hearts by robbing them of their fave toys. But my phobia is overwhelming. And, training my baby girl to become a little momma... or my boy to become a patriarch with a manly job makes me pewk...

[Ariel]

I'm putting myself in your shoes as a little child and I find it to be horrifying. To them, it IS a catastrophe. I know how my friends feel when their kids lose their snuggle toys - it is pretty much the end of the world for them. It leaves the kids heartbroken.

I will probably buy a blanket (or a 100 of them, in bulk, same size and color) and replace them once they are too yucky. I don't want to break my future kids' hearts by robbing them of their fave toys. But my phobia is overwhelming. And, training my baby girl to become a little momma... or my boy to become a patriarch with a manly job makes me pewk...

I've used the same style of blanket since I was a baby and I'm in my 20's now. Velux, preferably green, replaced every 3-4 years. Not ashamed to say that I almost can't sleep without it. Soooo soft and cuddly.

[bookiewookie]

I'm putting myself in your shoes as a little child and I find it to be horrifying. To them, it IS a catastrophe. I know how my friends feel when their kids lose their snuggle toys - it is pretty much the end of the world for them. It leaves the kids heartbroken.

I will probably buy a blanket (or a 100 of them, in bulk, same size and color) and replace them once they are too yucky. I don't want to break my future kids' hearts by robbing them of their fave toys. But my phobia is overwhelming. And, training my baby girl to become a little momma... or my boy to become a patriarch with a manly job makes me pewk...

One of the kids I used to babysit had a favorite sheep stuffed animal. After awhile, her parents got worried that it would get lost, so they tried to order more. They found an identical model, barring one tiny detail - this sheep had blue boots. So they ordered 12 and spent an hour snipping all of those boots off.

[bookiewookie]

There are a lot of stuffies you can just toss in the washer and dryer now. Especially ones made for babies.

Urgh, now I'm remembering my sister's favorite comfort toy - towards the end, it was so threadbare that it was see through so it was impossible to wash for the last few years. It was rather...revolting...to look at. She was devastated when it got lost, so I tried to make her a new one even though I was like 7 and had very few sewing skills to speak of at the time.

[jenny_islander]

There are stuffies for babies that are essentially a thick washcloth with a head. We were also given a machine washable teddy bear whose "stuffing" comes out the back--it's a sealed cushion full of dried lavender. Destuff, wash, dry, restuff, hand to baby. I think the bear was originally tagged "Lavender Lou."

[Sobeknofret]

Awesome! My mom got me the MRSA toy, which comes with a little cape that says something like "Superbug!"

I have the Black Death (I'm a medievalist, so sue me 8-) ) and MRSA. I loved the H1N1-- it's pink and has a wee piggy nose!

[nolongerIFBx]

I wonder if Purity Bears are okay. . .

[danvillebelle]

I have the Black Death (I'm a medievalist, so sue me 8-) ) and MRSA. I loved the H1N1-- it's pink and has a wee piggy nose!

OMG you guys, I am just seeing these for the first time - the nerd wannabe biologist in me wants them ALL. I am particularly drawn to the gangrene and the cancer one with a wee cigarette hanging out of its mouth...

ETA: The nerve cell. I want the GIANT nerve cell, just so I can shake it at my kids or cats and say "you're getting on my last nerve!"

[already hungover]

OMG you guys, I am just seeing these for the first time - the nerd wannabe biologist in me wants them ALL. I am particularly drawn to the gangrene and the cancer one with a wee cigarette hanging out of its mouth...

ETA: The nerve cell. I want the GIANT nerve cell, just so I can shake it at my kids or cats and say "you're getting on my last nerve!"

I work in a neurobiology lab and we have the giant neuron impaled on a bulletin board for all to admire.

[Nancy Drew]

That's funny. I feel like part of the reason I love animals more than people sometimes isn't because I didn't have dolls growing up, its because of close-minded idiot adults like him that make me have less faith in the human race and make me realize more and more everyday that we really are just animals ourselves.

[Curious]

There are stuffies for babies that are essentially a thick washcloth with a head. We were also given a machine washable teddy bear whose "stuffing" comes out the back--it's a sealed cushion full of dried lavender. Destuff, wash, dry, restuff, hand to baby. I think the bear was originally tagged "Lavender Lou."

Those are really popular now (the security blankey toys). I made one for, our very own, meda's new helpmeet in training ;)

You could put any animal head on one. I can't remember why now, but buzzard and I decided on a frog ages ago. This is machine wash/dryable.

[FJismyheadship]

I want one Curious!!!!!

[ILoveJellybeans]

Awwwwwww those are cute

[walnut]

That's funny. I feel like part of the reason I love animals more than people sometimes isn't because I didn't have dolls growing up, its because of close-minded idiot adults like him that make me have less faith in the human race and make me realize more and more everyday that we really are just animals ourselves.

...and I think that's an insult to the vast majority of the animals. I wish I weren't right. :|

[Curious]

I want one Curious!!!!!

PM me :)

[micatite]

Being an only child I had gazillion stuffed animals, not that I cared...'cause I had live dogs that LOOKED like cute stuffed polar bears (Samoyed). So the stuffies were just there holding down the bed. I also had some dolls and yes to whoever said playing house is BORING. I never liked my little girl dolls unless we were playing school. Baby dolls were the dullest things ever. Why would I want a doll that squawked and peed and whose eyes would get stuck half open? Creepy! My Rutabaga Kid (Cabbage Patch knockoff) with the hot pink hair was a well-loved doll exception and got to accompany me to Hawaii, where everyone admired her awesome pink pigtails and the fact that I got a lei for her.

Mainly, however, I luuuuuuurved my Barbies with a grand passion. One of my favorite games was Super-Secret International Spy Barbie who kept sneaking the secret plans through checkpoints across Europe...while disguised as a nun in habits made of white cloth handkerchiefs and ponytail elastics.

I have no idea what this says about me.

[jaynie]

Being an only child I had gazillion stuffed animals, not that I cared...'cause I had live dogs that LOOKED like cute stuffed polar bears (Samoyed). So the stuffies were just there holding down the bed. I also had some dolls and yes to whoever said playing house is BORING. I never liked my little girl dolls unless we were playing school. Baby dolls were the dullest things ever. Why would I want a doll that squawked and peed and whose eyes would get stuck half open? Creepy! My Rutabaga Kid (Cabbage Patch knockoff) with the hot pink hair was a well-loved doll exception and got to accompany me to Hawaii, where everyone admired her awesome pink pigtails and the fact that I got a lei for her.

Mainly, however, I luuuuuuurved my Barbies with a grand passion. One of my favorite games was Super-Secret International Spy Barbie who kept sneaking the secret plans through checkpoints across Europe...while disguised as a nun in habits made of white cloth handkerchiefs and ponytail elastics.

I have no idea what this says about me.

Re the bolded: I always wanted those dolls. But not because I have some innate maternal instinct (I'm neither here nor there regarding the possibility of reproducing) -- I just wanted to take them apart to figure out how they worked! An inanimate object that pees and babbles at you? It's either witchcraft or something 6-year-old me could feel really smug about figuring out.

I also played a version of Super-Secret International Spy Barbie, only with my Kelly dolls. Barbie would leave them at school in the morning and go off to work, then they'd spend the day averting international crisises (and the occasional alien invasion). Barbie herself remained in ignorant bliss of the kids' activities. Also one of them owned a pet dragon. And they sometimes worked in tangent with the Sailor Scouts.

I would love to know what these things say about me, I really would.

[micatite]

I also played a version of Super-Secret International Spy Barbie, only with my Kelly dolls. Barbie would leave them at school in the morning and go off to work, then they'd spend the day averting international crisises (and the occasional alien invasion). Barbie herself remained in ignorant bliss of the kids' activities. Also one of them owned a pet dragon. And they sometimes worked in tangent with the Sailor Scouts.

I would love to know what these things say about me, I really would.

Well, to really answer that question, we would know which Sailor Senshi (Scout) you most favored. Lol!