"Lovey" is a term coined by Dr. T. Berry Brazelton many years ago to describe the most loved object -- the comfy, cozie, huggie, kissie that can't be lived without -- can't be slept without -- can't be without no matter what. For more information of the phenomenon of the lovey and how to choose possible candidates (babies tend to decide for themselves about these things,) see our article on loveys in this section, or hop to the library or book store and checkout the many wonderful books on child care by Dr. T. Berry Brazelton. A list of Brazelton's wonderful books can be found in our article on the lovey -->>>>>>> |
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| Just a Note about Loveys -- for the new one in your life The last generation of fabrics has brought us toys which are beautiful, lush and soft, non-toxic, long-wearing, washable-- and expecially -- huggable and lightweight enough for even the newest hands to grasp and lift. A comfortable sized doll that weighs under 3 ounces was unheard of until the last few years. If Mom and Dad, grandparent, friends, or other family members buy the real "lovey" -- that is, the toy, doll, or blankie the baby can't sleep without, eat without, be happy without or even function without -- chances are, it was bought either before the baby was born, or soon after. ("Lovey" isa term coined by Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, the famous child rearing author and expert - see notes at the end of this page for a list of his excellent books.) These toys end up being the lifelong anchors to warmth, comfort and safety. And anchors like this are fragile. They can be lost, destroyed, or just become so thin and worn (and stained and smelly) with age that they appear to adults to be little more than rags. But to the baby or child in question, there are no substitutes. What many of us don't know is that most of the leading manufacturers of this kind of toy work on a short calendar. They may offer a product for 3 years -- and then it is gone forever. And some of these toys are only marketed for a year! Only a handful of infant toys are "standards" which remain on the market for 5 years or more. The result is that whatever store the lovey was purchased at probably sold out by the time the baby was 2 month old! And since there is no way to know in advance which toy the baby will decide to cling to, there is no way to know in advance which toy to duplicate and keep in the hall closet in case of tragic loss. (we had a frantic Grandmother calling for 3 backups after Grandpa ran over the lovey with the lawn mower....) So here is the advice. As soon as you know which toy it is (and there nearly always is one....) BUY A BACKUP! BUY 2 BACKUPS. You know how inclined you are to lose things or run over them with the Craftsman mower or the Hummer. Or toss them out in the diaper pail. Or leave them on the seat of the airplane. Or at whatever Cracker Barrel you ate at in Illinois. --all things we've heard.... AS SOON AS YOU KNOW WHAT THE LOVey IS -- BUY EXTRAS! We've had people call with the baby crying on their lap, pointing at the computer monitor at the "baby" that was lost. We've had Aunties and Uncles who each ordered 2 of the same item sent to the same baby in another state because they found the missing Lovey on the internet. We've Fedex'd loveys to airport hotels where parents hid from fellow passengers who had to fly from Hawaii to LA with a baby who'd lost the lovey. The internet now makes it possible -- if you can find a store with a website and a backstock of your most important lovey -- to get things that are no longer produced -- but even those of us who carry lots of these toys know that we can't supply out of production toys forever. So pay attention. The lovey will identify itself early in a baby's life. BUY MORE. Most are inexpensive. AND -- one more bit of experience -- We recommend doing a little parental steering when your baby is a newborn -- do yourself a favor by giving only washable potential loveys in a crib or bassonette. Just offer what can we washed and replaced! Characteristics of the best loveys: 1. extremely lightweight (under 5 ounces); 2. machine washable (not just surface washable); 3. one of the new super-soft fabrics; 4. as little white surface area as possible (colors show less graying over time and avoid the "road-kill" look of extreme loving....) Honestly, you can't control which crib toy the baby will attach to --but you can slant the odds in your favor. With love, from Purciful's! NOTES: 1. Yes, we know that the plural of "lovey" should probably be "lovies" -- University English Professor in the house -- however, the word coined by Brazelton and used by him since the mid 1980's is "lovey" -- but the word "Lovie" is actually a branded trademark, and so, we imagine, is its natural plural "lovies". Regardless, we're sure Dr. Brazelton would want you to know that the word he uses for the most prescous item in an infant's life is "loveys" and not "lovies." Regardless of what a trademarked "lovie" is, it's not what we here at Purciful's are talking about either. 2. Here is Dr. Brazelton's excellent canon of writing on child rearing and child psychology: Books by T. Berry Brazelton: -Infants and Mothers: Differences in Development, 1983; Delta Books -What Every Baby Knows, 1988; Ballentine Books -Toddlers and Parents: A Declaration of Independence, 1989; Dell -Earliest Relationship: Parents, Infants, and the Drama of Early Attachment, 1991; Perseus Books -Working and Caring, 2001; Da Capo Publishing -The Irreducible Needs of Children: What Every Child Must Have to Grow, Learn, and Flourish, 2001; Perseus Books -Touchpoints 3 to 6, 2002; Perseus Books -Sleep: The Brazelton Way, 2003; Perseus Books -Day Care Deception: What the Child Care Establishment Isn't Telling Us, 2003; Encounter Books -Discipline: The Brazelton Way, 2003; Perseus Books -Feeding Your Child: The Brazelton Way, 2004; Da Capo Lifelong Books -Toilet Training: The Brazelton Way, 2004; Da Capo Lifelong Books -Mastering Anger and Aggression: The Brazelton Way, 2005; Da Capo Lifelong Books -To Listen to a Child: Understanding the Normal Problems of Growing Up, 2005; Da Capo Lifelong Books -Touchpoints: Birth to 3 : Your Child's Emotional and Behavioral Development, 2006; Da Capo Lifelong Books | |
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| ON SALE! Holiday Rattle-Dollies by Gund -Gianna, Merrilee, & Ella - SAFE & WASHABLE! Three GREAT holiday dressed 7" rattle-babies from Baby Gund. Ella, Merrilee and Gianna are MACHINE WASHABLE (YES!), dressed in soft velour, and sweet as can be. Perfect size for the smallest hands-- perfect surprises for tiny stockings -- perfect package toppers or ornaments -- perfect messengers for tiny packages or far-off holiday greetings -- basically, just perfect little dolls in every way! Ages newborn and up and up and up! And did we say -- washable? Ho ho ho! | |
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| 10" Prince Baby and Princess Baby from Baby Gund All of Baby Gund's softest fabrics -- these royal babies are machine washable and light as a feather -- and each comes with its own royal storybook baby. Sweet and familiar -- a fantasy from Baby Gund | |
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| Gund My Little Baby Backpack Playsets These little darlings are just the right size for your little darling to tote around and play Mamma and Baby -- choose by hair color, ethnicity, to look like or not look like your little one -- 4 sweet choices! In each of these sets, the baby is MACHINE WASHABLE while the backpack and accessories are all surface washable. A great gift for your little one! Gund My Little Baby Backpack Playset - Jada Gund My Little Baby Backpack Playset - Kim Gund My Little Baby Backpack Playset - Charlotte Gund My Little Baby Backpack Playset - Kylah | |
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| Sweet Dolly 7" Rattle Doll by Baby Gund Here's the smaller version of Gund's Sweet Dolly -- still machine washable -- and she is smaller, lighter (for very tiny hands) and she rattles softly when shaken! Age 0 and up | |
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| Paisley Baby Rattle (and crinkle...) PJ Babies by Baby Gund Yes! Machine Washable! Very chewable, shak-able and loveable! 6" Rattle Paisley Babies come with sleepy-time stocking caps, a crinkle in the arms and a soft little rattling sound in the body! Ages 0 and up. | |
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| 7" My Dolly Machine Washable Rattle Doll by Baby Gund 7" My Dolly rattle doll by Baby Gund is just right for a lovey -- right down to the chewable hat-tails.... And lightweight enough so that she is also perfect for the smallest toting toy... And after she's been dragged by a crawler -- just toss her in the washing machine and she's clean to start again! 12" version also available. Age 0 and up | |
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| Molly & Lindsey -- 9" Washable Baby Dolls from Baby Gund Molly and Lindsey are 9" tall and made of all soft cloth, velvet and yarn so they can be tossed in the wash and still come out ready for love and play! Light as a feather so the smallest arms can hug them -- soft and chewable for those just finding their teeth! Ages 0 and up | |
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| Baby Gund Princess Teach Me Even though we list this doll as an "activity" toy along with Baby Gund's other Teach Me toys, we also list it with baby dolls because unlike most other "teach me's", the Princess Teach Me is sooo soft and so sweet as a doll that you almost forget it has other missions that just to be loved-on and hugged. She's 13 1/2" tall, wearing deep pink velvet with little satin shoes -- her pocket book holds her frog prince, and her soft cap has chew knots for those who are still teething. The "teach me" aspects of this sweetheart of a doll inclued a lace and tie jumper, big buttons on her suspenders, a wide buckle belt, and a velcro flap and zipper closure on her pocket book. Just a sweet doll in every way -- and her little frog says "ribbit!". Surface washable. **And yes, there is also a "Prince Teach Me" doll available which can be special ordered. He features the same lush fabrics in blue and the same teaching points, as well as a puppy that barks in his overall's pocket. | |
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| Tutti Frutti 12" Machine Washable! Dog, Duck, Elephant, Turtle & Frog by Gund 12" and COMPLETELY MACHINE WASHABLE! HOORAY! Super soft bright colored fabrics, lightweight enough for infant hands, fat an fluffy and friendly as can be! Early editions of this great toy were out of a furry/fuzzy chenille fabric, and later toys were made of a velour - same size, same great feel. Unfortunately, both are now discontinued, but we have some animals in fuzzy-soft, and some in velour-soft, so be sure to specify which you are looking for in the "COMMENTS" box as you check out. We know that if this is the lovie at your house, such details will be very important. We'll contact you at the ph. number in your order if we've run out of the fabric/animal you're looking for! | |
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| Baby Gund Blankie Babies -- 15" of Velvety Snuggles! Bigger than many "blankie babies" -- these sweethearts from Baby Gund are 15" square -- up to a dolly who has a fingertip-to-fingertip span of 8". The best part about these darlings is that they are MACHINE WASHABLE! Select pink with blond baby Kristin, or Lilac with brunette baby Ariana. Age 0+ | |
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| Rattles & Squeakers & Teethers & Loveys Meant to be Chewed! They rattle, they squeak, and some even crinkle or jingle -- all these little whisper-soft noise maker-baby occupiers are cuddly and squee-e-e-ezable. Easy to hold on to. AND most all can be washed in the washing machine. Great for sucking, chewing, toting, gripping, waving, shaking, pounding, loving, cuddling, dreaming and grabbing! Just a Note about Loveys -- for the new one in your life Whoozit Touch and Teethe from Manhattan Toys Mini- Tinkle Crinkle by Gund - Pastel or Primary Colors! S0-0-0-0 Big Bears & Kitties 6" Squeaker Whoozit Shapes & Sounds -- Set of 3 Toys from Manhattan Toys 7" My Dolly Machine Washable Rattle Doll by Baby Gund Paisley Baby Rattle (and crinkle...) PJ Babies by Baby Gund Paisley Babies 9 1/2" Rattle Babies! Machine Washable! by Baby Gund Paisley Musical 6 1/2" Babies in Pink, Yellow & Blue by Baby Gund Tinkle Crinkle Rattle & Squeak! Water Teether by Gund Tinkle Crinkle Rattle & Squeak Wrist Rattles by Gund in 2 Colors! Toodles Assorted 5 1/2" Rattle Baby Animals from Baby Gund Buggie Brights: Buggie Gigglers from Baby Gund Cuddly Pals Tiny Puddin, Pokey & Bundles Ring Rattles by Baby Gund Cuddly Pals Wrist Rattles by Baby Gund Cuddly Pals 6" Rattle Baby Bears by Baby Gund Lovey Bunny Wrist Rattles by Baby Gund -- for the tiny hoppers! Sweetscoops Rattle Plush Pets from Gund Whoozit! Zigzaggles Activity Rattle Toy by Manhattan Toys Wobbles Water Teether from Manhattan Toys | |
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| Kaye, Katla, Sonja and Faye Dolls - Washable by Baby Gund New 12" babies from Baby Gund are machine washable (as all good loveys and babies should be....), Doll bodies are of a soft t-shirt knit, and their cute clothes and hats are of a super-soft velour. Very lightweight so the smallest (and newest) of hands can pick them up -- Completely baby safe and sooooo snuggleable! Perfect loveys in every way! | |
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| Sweetscoops Plush Pets with Sound from Gund Gund's Sweetscoops plush pets with sound are all 8" tall. They feature the realistic sound of each animal and since the sound chip is water proof THEY ARE MACHINE WASHABLE! Little Quacker is a yellow duck with orange feet and bill. Little Croaker is a light-green frog with yellow chest. Little Swingz is a purple monkey with light tan feet, face, chest, and paws. Little Stompz (see picture) is a light-blue-green elephant with light-tan ears and paws. Little Mooz is a light-tan calf with brown accent to his left eye. Little Runzy is a light-blue horse with pale yellow nose, ears, and hooves. Little Oinker is a pink pig. Little Baazle (see picture) is a pale-yellow sheep with pink nose. | |
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| Sweetscoops Rattle Plush Pets from Gund Sweetscoops Rattles are all 5" tall and surface washable. They feature a body rattle. Little Quacker is a yellow duck with orange feet and bill. Little Croaker is a light-green frog with yellow chest. Little Swingz is a purple monkey with light tan feet, face, chest, and paws. Little Stompz is a light-blue-green elephant with light-tan ears and paws. Little Mooz (see picture above) is a light-tan calf with brown accent to his left eye. Little Runzy (see picture above) is a light-blue horse with pale yellow nose, ears, and hooves. Little Oinker is a pink pig. Little Baazle is a pale-yellow sheep with pink nose. | |
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