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WienOnce upon a time
... my first teddy bear ever was presented to me on my 1st birthday.
This was....uhmmm...nearly 44 years ago.
These past 44 years have left me and my teddy with some scars and wrinkles and grey hair.
I´m an avid supporter of the cosmetic industry, so I´m just fine. Nearly 
But what about my belove teddy?
I had him hidden in a cupboard, wrapped in silky paper and draped with lavender, so the moths wouldn´t get hold of him.
Last week I dug him out and he looks so pittiful. 
He used to be bright white, fluffy with shiny eyes until that fatal day many years ago, when teddy desidet to have a taste of my apricot jam. Of course, soft- heartet as I am I gave him a loving spoonful.
Well, teddies should never, under no circumstances have a spoonfull of jam!
My mom screeched, teddy and I were crying and all together we went to the dry cleaner to have him cleaned.
Unfortunately, his fluffy white fur turned into something sort of greyish, tangled, scruffy as you can see on the pix, and his eyes ( they were probably made of plastic) look ...well....sort of dead.
What do you ladies think, should I replace his eyes? It doesn´t bother me, that his hands are so battered, since he doesn´t mind; but what should I do about his eyes?
By the way: now that you know my child hood teddy, may I see yours, pleazzzzze?
Gaby 
Wild Thyme OriginalsGaby... your teddy is wonderful!!!!! I'd be more than happy to "show you mine" but he is at my parents house.... I MUST grab him and take some photos soon!
As for whether you should replace his eyes..... i think you only need to look at the lovely Little Prince quote in your signature line..... Both from your Teddy's own "sight" perspective as well as yours! He's PERFECT, I wouldn't touch a thing!
That's exactly the fox's secret... what makes an object valuable to it's owner is the time and care and love that goes into it... the invisible stuff! Your bear got that way because the child-you "tamed" him... just like the little Price tamed his rose, and then tamed the fox himself. His outward rattiness and eye-problems are just outward/visible evidence that will forever remind you of the youngster who loved him enough to share a wee bit of jam with him!
The stars are beautiful because one is actually a planet where a most beloved rose grows...
The desert is beautiful because somewhere it contains a well....
Your teddy is beautiful because somewhere in that teddy soul, there is the memory of a little girl with a spoonful of apricot jam!
Kim Basta
Wild tHyme Originals
Pandy Potter Bears
I will have to get mine and have some current pictures, seeing as its nearly 38 years old! Anyway here it is new, circa 1968.
I have just noticed....how come my nose looks like those on The Grinch that stole Christmas? Dr Seuss would be proud!
And my ears stick out!!!!
Wild Thyme OriginalsAwwww.... look at YOU Baby Amanda!!!!! with a panda no less... doesn't that figure!?
Kim Basta
Wild tHyme Originals
WienKim, thanks for your advise :hug: . You gave me food for thought...maybe I want to change my teddy, because I am not pleased with myself 
- I´m off to beddy byes now pondering 
...and I´m looking forward to see your childhood teddy!!
Amanda, thank you for posting not only your teddy, but also you! It is so nice to see, what people looked like when they were innocent and harmless and had free entrance to the zoo. 
Gaby
Starlite BearsUnfortunately my mother disposed of my teddy a lot of years ago 
(to a jumble sale she said!!) - maybe that is why I make bears 
Amanda you did not have a Grinch nose you were a cute baby!!
:hug:
Patsy Lake BearsI never had a Teddy when I was little ..... but I do have my first husbands Teddy and he will be 66 yrs Old ... my children played with it when they were little but they had their own teddies so they didn't play with this one too much.... I will have to take a pic of him and post ......
Kim-Bee Bears
Posts: 8,574I think you should fix your bears eyes, give 'em new eyes and he will be better able to watch your back.
I am so glad you loved him in spite of the dry cleaners. I am betting your mom felt worse than you when you all got him back, but probably didn't want to upset you further....
poor mom....poor teddy.....poor Gaby
but with new eyes and maybe a new spiffy ribbon wont he feel like a new man ready to take on the world on your behalf?
My first ted was a beautiful 20" English Chiltern teddy bear, given to my by my parents for my first birthday back in 1964. I still have him and he's as handsome as ever he was. Nowadays he wears a smart bow-tie as his original ribbon was lost in the mists of time!
I didn't have a bear that I remember other than Pooh bear... I had a rabbit that my aunt made me and a baby doll with a heartbeat.. My favorite dolly was Lolly - Here is a pic... and I think she was from 1975 (older than me) by what Ebay sellers say ... I want to win an auction for one... I may just bid on one... By the way, my dad threw all of the stuff out when I moved out... I didnt get a chance to keep anything, he didnt ask, just got rid of it all
Kim, my daughter had the exact same dolly! They were made by Fisher-Price toys. Fay had hers when she was a new baby back in 1983.
Baird'sBears
Mine too, Paula and Kim -- it was her first Christmas present from her Daddy in 1977!
Eileen
Wisdom BearsHi all,
Like Anne, I never had a Teddy either ,but I was a War baby and I somehow think maybe priorities were different then. I did have a good education and a lovely childhood ,so I never really missed not having a Teddy. I have more than made up for it now though. Hugs Rita xxxx
WienKim, what you edited in your post, sounds so really nice and you must be somebody who understands teddy souls and children souls perfectly well. No wonder you create such most lovely babies and fairies and teddie!
Anne, my mom and I, we collect everything, we would never get rid of any of our memories, which of course has the disadvantage, that we have more memories than space
Patsy& Rita, children then of course had different priorities, that´s true. My mom had one doll and one french teddy, who is in better shape than mine, even though he´s in his 60. The doll was destoyed by a russian occupant, so she held on to her teddy desperately.
Patsy, I hope you can show us a picture of your first hubbies teddy
Kim Bee, your Lolly looks so cuddely cute!!
Dilu, thank you for your advise. You sound completely logical to me, but I have to admit, Kim really gave me food for thought. Why do I always have to do everything so complicated?
My mom really was devastate when we got him fom the dry cleaner! She had chosen this pretty bear for me. He will get his spiffy ribbon soon, but I´m not so sure about the eyes.
Paula, you must have been a real good girl; your teddy is in such a good shape! Still fluffy and nice
Gaby
Wild Thyme OriginalsDear Gaby,
You know... I think I got nearly a bit TOO sentimental and philosophical in my earlier posting! I have a tendency to do that when it comes to childhood toys and lovies! I just truly admire the way that wee ones cherish their bears and toys and dolls. I've read The Little Prince and Velveteen Rabbit one to many times for my own good!
There is something to be said for restoring bears. Absolutely! You might even want to stitch some new wool felt over his old paw pads so he is less likely to loose his stuffing when hugged..... And really, if your first instinct is to replace those cloudy eyes... maybe you should do it. Clearly, when YOU look at him, you should feel happy, not regretful about his little trip to the drycleaner. He'll still be the same guy you loved all those years. :hug: You can just keep keep his old eyes in a little pouch next to him! I think I just read the Little Prince line in your signature line, and got VERY sentimental! It's one of my FAVORITE quotes in the whole wide world... that book his just filled with wonderful things to think about!
Kim Basta
Wild tHyme Originals
Kim-Bee BearsSo all you gals know what Dolly dolly I am talking about then I am trying to find a replacment and have looked at past sales on ebay and they have all gone for over $30!! (the ones in good shape)... I want to get one and pass it along to my little girl
WienKim, you´re such a lovely person!
I actually think too, that we got a bit too sentimental. I guess the full moon a few days ago had a high impact on my mood this time.
Teddy said, he´d love to watch what´s going on,now that he is "freed" fom the cupboard, where I had put him to conserve him.
He even said, he wants to take Salsa lessons. Gosh, I think he´s really goint to take on the world
And yes, "The Little Prince" is a wonderful book; not only for kiddies but also for grown ups.
Kim-Bee, you make such lovely bears, why don´t ou make a Lolly-doll yourself? I bet you can do that! ...and please: show us the outcome!!
Gaby
