Remember when they first came out in the stores? Packaged in the box with the clear front, each doll was soft, with dimpled knees and elbows just like a "real" baby. And each came with adoption papers, which we excitedly filled out and mailed in, and then a few weeks later we received in the mail our formal adoption certificate. Each doll came with a given first and middle name. This was unique to our times, too. I'm sure our mothers were thinking "What happened to asking kids to use their imagination? To naming their own doll?" But us girls, we loved the idea that our baby already had a name. It made the adoption that much more real to us. Although, speaking of names...where in the world did they come up with some of these names? My baby's name was "Nicole Elise" - not a name I would have chosen, but nevertheless, I stated it proudly whenever I was asked (probably garnered some strange looks in the process).
My best friend, Katie, and I both had CPK dolls (her baby's name was Lynette - see what I mean?). Anyway, we used to bike to each other's house with our doll in the basket attached to the handlebars. And then we'd ride up to the 7-11 together to buy baby food and diapers for our dolls. Really. We still get a good laugh out of this memory.
But I digress. A few days ago, my daughter came across a picture of me with my Cabbage Patch Doll...
We found the baby for her, matted hair and all, and it now resides happily - albeit uncomfortably crowded - in my old doll crib with a half dozen other dolls. They're a close knit group. Well, those were the days. Everyone had a Cabbage Patch Kid.
But I digress, it's a new day. My daughter is 6 years old today, and her big birthday wish this year (well, really for the last three years) is for an American Girl Doll. Julie Albright, to be exact. Long, long, straight blond hair, hippie braid down the side, bell bottoms and a rope belt.
Ella has finally gotten her wish.
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What was your favorite baby doll's name? And if you had one, can you remember your Cabbage Patch Kid's given name?
Happy belated birthday to Ella! What a cutie. And how very depressing that my era is now considered historical enough to warrant an American Girl Doll of its own. A hippie doll. I'm also too old for Cabbage Patch Dolls, but I remember hearing about the knock-down, drag-out fights people would have just to obtain one!
ReplyDeleteBeth,
ReplyDeleteThey were cute dolls, almost as cute as the two litle girls in this post! How I remember the fights over these in demand dolls.
Like Linda, I remember the fights over those dolls---the biting, the scratching, the eye-gouging. And those were the moms, battling over the dolls in toy stores!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter had a Cabbage Patch doll. My favorite doll was Thumbelina.