It was 1980 something and the Cabbage Patch doll was the rage.
I did not want my little four year old not having what others had at that age.
But money was an issue; never any extra for fancy gifts wrapped in fancy paper.
Heck, we had to settle for wrapping gifts in that cheap tissue.
My little girl had to settle for the "kit version" of the Cabbage doll that Momma made her!
Took a day off from my day job to create this little masterpiece.
I worked diligently into the night to make it special and not look cheap.
Long needle with thread, nylon fabric and many small balls of stuffing.
Hoping at each stitch that my loving and strong efforts weren't for nothing.
Pulling the long needle with thread; my fingers working very hard to shape the head.
Just the right length of thread to create the mouth and nose.
Nylon fabric looked like grandma's pantyhose!
Instructions said to use thick yarn to create braids on top of the head.
I decided to sew one of those triangle bandanas instead.
Pulling the threads tightly to shape the pudgy fingers and toes.
Wish I had done a better job creating her nose.
Her bandana matched nicely with her little yellow cotton dress.
Project was done and time for me to go to bed.
The next day after work I would look for a gift box from the shed.
Wrapped the gift with patience and love, knowing full well it did not resemble the dolls in the catalog book.
Tucked the gift box under the tree in a corner nook.
Christmas morning, coffee made; little ones eager to open their gifts and look
at their few special gifts under the tree; even ones made by me!
My daughter eagerly opened her special gift, only to throw the doll and drop to her knees.
Crying and telling me it was the scariest doll ever to be!
This Cabbage Patch doll never made it to sit pretty under the tree or to sit atop her small bed;
where she laid her pretty head.
Never did this Cabbage Patch doll get played with or adored; but rather in the attic it got stored.
Guess I had to bite the bullet and admit; screw the darn cheap doll kit!
I should have dug deeper into the cookie jar once more, and bought her a nice doll from a good department store.
If anything, we continue to laugh and roar, as we share the story of the "Ugly Cabbage Patch" doll once more!