I know exactly where I was standing when I was given my first Cabbage Patch Doll.
It took place about 20 feet from yesterday's memory actually. In my driveway, next to Florida's house. And about a half hour after she received her very first Cabbage Patch Doll.
My family, Florida's family and two other families from the same block decided to go up to Disney World for a family weekend. We stayed in RV campers in the Disney camping park. It was actually a great way to vacation as families with young children and I would totally do it again if I ever have kids.
But this post is specifically about before we left for the trip.
So I guess our parents decided to give us the much lusted after dolls to keep us occupied on the four hour drive up to Orlando. And Florida left a bit before us. As they were getting in their car (Also a station wagon because it was the 80's, baby!), Florida's parents gave her a Cabbage Patch Doll. I remember that it only had one shoe- the other was missing from the box. And while I was so excited for her, I was also a little sad that I didn't have one too. And subsequently guilty for feeling envious. The same mix of emotions I have today when each and every friend calls to tell me she is expecting.
A few minutes later (in my mind it feels like 30 but in reality it honestly might have been five), as we were loading into our own wagon (I was sitting in the back back and fixing on my shoes), my parents gave me my very first real Cabbage Patch Doll, Tonya. Whom I associated with Tonya Harding, pre-clubbing Nancy Kerrigan of course, and loved dearly. I was so shocked and surprised that I was getting a doll too. You see, this trip was right around Florida's birthday and I assumed that was why she got her doll. I had no idea I would get one too on the same day.
I came to own a collection of those beloved yarn head dolls over the years. But Tonya was forever my favorite. She was my first. The first time I remember so badly wanting anything from a toy store. I think in a way I felt like I had earned her. She was a wish granted. Tonya was extra special to me. And is in a box of my childhood things somewhere in the basement.
I have no idea why my first Cabbage Patch Doll is important in my life. Such a silly moment. But for whatever reason, I can recall every sweet detail. And I am so glad I can tell you exactly where I was standing when little blonde Tonya was born (remember how they came with adoption papers?) into my little world!
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| This is exactly what Tonya's hair looked like! |
6 comments:
love this! i had a yellow yarn hair cabbage patch doll too (i called her Kimberly) and i also had (still have) a bald one that i called Pumpkin Potato Head... no joke
I had so many cabbage patch dolls! My sisters were at the perfect age when they first came out so we had a ton by the time I was born. I think we still have ours. I need to check in the attic!
Too funny!
I never got into the Cabbage Patch Dolls. I heard they are making a big come back.
I wanted one so bad but my parents ended up getting me a generic CPK, which I think was called 'No Name Baby' or something like that. I named her Katie. I still have her, and the doll clothes my grandmother made for her.
By the time the Cabbage Patch Kids came out I had outgrown dolls. I mean what 16 year old wants a doll at that age anyway right? Well, my mother decided that because they were all the rage and very hard to come by I should have one anyway. I ended up with two of the Preemies, Mia and Webster. I still have them along with birth certificates. How my mother got them is a bit of a mystery though.
I loved mine too. My mother would go through all of them lookin gfor ones with a decent name. I just cared about the outfit. I got so mad when my brother broke my talking one.
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