Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Aggary Ran

When I was about two, my mom made me a giant Raggedy Ann doll. It was as big as I was -- in fact, my parents dressed me up as Raggedy Ann in the doll's clothes for Halloween that year. I had "Aggary Ran," as I called her, for years and years. And then she disappeared. I couldn't think where she might be except possibly my parents' attic. But since last time anyone went up there it ended in my dad falling through the ceiling and landing in the laundry room*, no one has been super-eager to go up there and check.

So I was so very excited when my mom went online and tracked down the 1970's pattern (the newer ones are cheesy, she claims) and made Libby her very own Raggedy Ann doll for her birthday!


Well. That was about a month ago. But tonight, Andrew was looking at Libby's Raggedy Ann and said, "I think I saw your other Raggedy Ann's hair in my closet." WHAT??? So I went upstairs and looked on the highest shelf in Andrew's closet and found...my old doll! I guess I put her up there seven years ago when Steve, seized with panic that we might not have enough closet space for ourselves and a newborn in our four-bedroom home**, built closet systems in all the closets when we found out we were expecting Andrew. I shoved some mementos up in the then-guest closet and then...had three children and lost most of my short- (and long-) term memory.

My Aggary Ran is, for the most part, just as I remember her. Some of the thread on her eye has snagged a little, so now she looks like has some fine lines around her eyes. Hmmm. She probably thought the same thing about me!

Here is 1976 Aggary Ran with her buddy 2010 Raggedy Ann. I think it's cute and highly appropriate that Libby's doll has a hairbow and her name on her dress.


Libby is so excited to have two life-sized friends!

Glad to see you again, old friend!

*No doddering old fogies were injured in the making of this (sadly) true story. However, there may have been some mild profanity.

** And, oh, yes, Steve was right. What I wouldn't give for a few more closets.

4 comments:

  1. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!! I have one of those very same life size Raggedy Ann dolls, and another regular size one with no hair. Raggedy Ann was my favorite growing up. I pulled the big one out when the girls were little and my dad bought each of them their own regular size one, but neither one took to her the way I did. Sidney did have an itty bitty one that she carried until she was 3 or 4 - she wore the hair off and a hole in her dress from where she would rub the dress between her fingers. Oh, this makes me miss my little girls!!!!

    Have fun with your new friends Libby!!!

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  2. That's awesome that you found YOUR doll! I had a Raggedy Ann doll, but never a cool life-sized one! Lucky Libby has two!! :-)

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  3. Oh my gosh, I love this! I, too, had a wonderful Raggedy Ann (which I think I said correctly, as the budding speech therapist I was to become...) who is lost, however, I am pretty sure she will never be found. At least since Oliver is a redhead he can be my pretend Raggedy Andy :)

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  4. I enjoyed reading this very sweet story and memories come to life.

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