Over a year ago Samantha was given a porcelain doll by a friend. She was too young to understand that we really don't play with porcelain dolls, we look at them. So I let her play with it. Samantha has slept with her, played with her, and genuinely loved her.
Lately Alyssa has grown an attachment to her. Alyssa tucks her into the doll cradle each night, covering her gently to keep her warm. In the morning Alyssa wakes her and carries her around. She's been very gentle. But today the doll fell out of her arms and crashed onto the tile floor. I knew what had happened immediately. Alyssa just stood there in shock and unsure what she should be doing and feeling.
Samantha was in tears, horrible, crocodile-sized tears. Her doll lie there missing an arm and a leg. I'm thankful it wasn't the face! Pieces of her were scattered over the family room rug and tile. It was like death--at least for Samantha. She's never lost something she loved and to see her partially mutilated doll was overwhelming for her. I unclothed the doll and handed her outfit to Samantha. I gently dropped the doll to the bottom of the garbage can.
Samantha went to her room, held the clothes in her hands, and sobbed for almost an hour for this doll. And Alyssa . . . she was in her room crying and repeating, "I sorry. Where da dolly?"
Well I decided that we can't replace it and we shouldn't. It won't be the same and I don't think a glass doll is best, of course. Lesson learned for mommy. We will, however, look for the perfect doll to love and ask for it for Christmas.
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