Emma's love

When Em was about one year old, I decided to buy her a baby doll. I didn't want to spend an exorbitant amount because I wasn't sure she would like one. So, off to Wal-mart I went without her on the search of a doll.

I wanted something simple that Em could tote around everywhere including the bath. There were too many frilly ones with voice chips, ones with lashes longer than the hair on their heads, babes that could pee and dolls that could walk. I was getting frustrated with the variety. I was upset that all the dolls that were larger than life and came with too many options. I wanted a simple doll that a small one could lug about with no problems.

I was going to put the search off for another day at another store when I saw the dolls. Simple doll with a plastic, hairless head and a sweet smell that must have been mixed in with the plastic as it was being made. It was a doll wearing a robe. Plastic miniatures of shampoo and baby powder accompanied the baby, and I had a choice in theme colors. And the price was only five dollars!

I grabbed a doll in yellow and was elated.

Emma fell in love with her instantly. And when we talked (as much as a young toddler and her mom can talk) about names, our plastic purchase was christened Isabella.

Isabella.

The memories of Emmaline and Isabella can fill a set of books.

The first time Em bathed with her, Isabella's little head filled with water. At the end of the bath, I emptied her out by removing her head. Emmaline screamed when she saw Izzy's head come off. I had to turn from her to finish draining the water out and put her head back on. Any bathing after that, Em would give me Isabella and turn her own head away while closing her eyes while I did the grim deed of emptying.

When Emma had her naked period, Isabella went about town sans clothes. Adults would try to dress the doll and my daughter would strip her naked in a frenzied frustrated fury.

Isabella has received gifts of clothes and accessories. She has her own stroller, a doll walker (picked up from a thrift store), and a doll Snugli. She's a spoiled doll.

Iz travels with us whenever we go out of town. She's been to Missouri, Wisconsin, back and forth between Tennessee and Florida, and even to Disney World. Now that Emma is older, she is responsible for getting her travelling entertainment together. On a trip to Memphis not too long ago, she forgot Izzy and we refused to turn around. Emmaline screamed and cried incessantly for the first thirty minutes and was miserably lonely the entire trip.

Needless to say, Isabella means the world to my child. Every morning Emmaline kisses her, lays her against the pillow, and covers her up. Every night Isabella is cradled in Em's arms until she falls asleep. Emma has loved her so much, she's missing eyelashes on one eye and her plastic skin is stained with dirt. Isabella's toes are painted; and after eight years, her clothes still get changed by the little mother that loves her so much. And don't dare mishandle her or you'll have an eight year old to deal with.

Emma was never forced into loving this doll or any gender based toys. Since she was old enough to interact with toys, I've bought playthings from both the 'girls' and 'boys' sections at the stores. She's grown up with trucks, kitchen sets, Legos, Bratz, puzzles, cards, Pokemon, games, blocks, and the lot. But, Isabella outweighs them all in value.

My daughter will be nine years old in August, and she's self conscious of many things already. She's going through her period of peer acceptance, and any little thing can jeopardize that in her mind's eye. Em sometimes refuses me a kiss in the morning when I drop her off because she doesn't want to be embarrassed. She frets about her hair and her skiin. She's growing up. BUT...she'll still drag Isabella, with her scent that is still as sweet as the first day she came home, about and cares less what others think ( Iz has been to school with Em). Emmaline loves this doll....even more than the cats.

Comments

[Sami]

Thank you for sharing this. There's nothing sweeter than the love between a little girl and her dolly. My grandmother got Morri a soft, pink dolly and gave it to me at her baby shower (the day before she was born). When she was less than a year old, she latched onto her and has not let go since.

I remember arguing about the dolly's name. I tried naming the dolly when Morri could barely talk - she was right at one year old - but she wouldn't have it. I picked a name - though I don't remember what it was, we'll say Emily for examples sake - and tried to get her to say it, but she argued with me. I would say, "Emily" and she would shout back, "DOLL-DOLL!" This went on for a while until I just accepted the fact that she'd just named her own dolly and nothing I said was going to change her mind. That's my girl. She's been Doll-Doll ever since.

We've had many adventures with Doll-Doll. Doll-Doll's been thrown up on during illness, dropped in the potty while training and she's been washed in the washer. Morri can't stand the idea so I still do it in secret, presenting her with the much coveted Downy-fresh Doll-Doll when I'm done. There have been five Doll-Dolls. The original fell apart long ago, but we have plenty of backups just in case. Currently she sleeps with all of them and must have at least two for overnight trips.

My son hasn't latched on like that to any one specific toy. He likes Barbies a lot, but there's no ONE Barbie that he likes over the others. He has named them all (Lola, Magic, Shopping, Ballerina) and has been known to throw fits over not getting a certain one, but there's never been The One Toy that he can't function without. I've offered him bears, bunnies, monkeys, I even found a boy doll similar to Doll-Doll, but none is a favorite. Is that a girl thing? Is it an individual kid thing? I kind of wish there was something, though I don't like the idea of encouraging him to be dependent on an item. But when Morri was younger it was so much easier to calm her when upset. Just give her Doll-Doll and a big hug and that would usually do the trick. I wish it were so simple with him.