My First Love :)

I met my first love on my first birthday.

It was love at first sight.

We were together all of the time.

I lost him a few times and got very upset. I usually found him again, except for once.

He gave great hugs.

That's because my first love was my stuffed animal teddy bear named, "Snuggles."

This is what he looks like all nice and new (which I never recall my Snuggles being...)


I got Snuggles on my first birthday from my aunt Laurie. Snuggles is a Gund teddy bear that is actually named "Snuffles." I'm not sure if I was incapable of saying the sound of "f", or if perhaps my parents liked Snuggles better, but I actually like the name change.

Snuggles slept with me every night. I brought him everywhere when I was little, and continued to bring him on trips and sleep with him every night for the rest of our time together. I never recall being ashamed of Snuggles at all, and anyone who was friends with me back then was fully aware of his importance in my life.

In my house there were lots of Snuggles...


That's not really my picture, but it could have been. My mom had a pink Snuggles. My dad "had" a dark brown one (pretty sure it wasn't really is, but I was told it was his haha). Caroline and Jake even had them and Jake actually slept with his for awhile until he got a giant polar bear stuffed animal named "Beary" that sort of took over. Caroline was more into her doll named "Baby" but I'm pretty sure she had her own Snuggles too. But THE Snuggles was my Snuggles.

There are a couple of noteworthy stories about my first love, Snuggles. The first was the day that I lost Snuggles at Marshalls (at least I think it was Marshalls). I had to be 3 or 4 years old and I was, as usual, carrying Snuggles around with me. Somehow I managed to lose him. Of course like any melodramatic toddler I was VERY upset and we HAD to find Snuggles before I could leave. FINALLY, after a long period of searching, I found Snuggles on one of the shelves like he was for sale. Yikes! Close call.

My Snuggles also did not look much like the ones above. He had much less stuffing because he had to be washed often. At one point my mom had to sew him because stuffing was coming out of him. He was much more "loved." In fact, it was not uncommon for my mom to have to sneak him out of my arms while I was sleeping so she could wash him. I really did not want him to be washed. Not sure what my deal was...

In fifth grade we studied immigration in my class. One day we had to bring a bag to school as though we were coming to the United States from another country. My teacher replicated the whole "Ellis Island" experience with us. I brought Snuggles in my bag and he was TAKEN AWAY!!! I remember, even as rational 5th grader that I was (ahem), being angry that Snuggles was being taken away at all! I remember thinking I would NOT come to the US.

However, my life with Snuggles came to a sad end on Columbus Day weekend of freshman year of college. I know, it's kind of a cliche... going to college and deciding you need to "see what else is out there."
Sadly, I brought Snuggles to visit my friend Sarah at UConn (clearly you didn't understand when I said I brought him on EVERY trip). Somehow he must have fallen out of my backpack and I didn't realize until I got home. Sarah looked around but never found him :( And that was how the story ends.

Or begins, because now I have this love instead...


...and his stuffed dog that I get to sleep with :)

I am seriously considering buying a new Snuggles though. It's the 30th anniversary :)