When I was a kid I had this doll. She had a pretty teal green dress and white hat, gorgeous red hair and peaches and cream skin. I remember going to the Toys R Us in our neighborhood and seeing her in her box on the shelf and thinking she was just the most beautiful doll ever. I was probably four at the time and I don't remember if I got to have her that day or if I had to wait until my birthday. If my dad was with me I probably got to take her home that day. He was a sucker for little girls who asked nicely, and I'm sure I had all my charms out that day. Or my Granny bought her for me she lived in California and we lived in Missouri, so buying far away grandkids presents was a favorite pastime of hers.
Anyway. I had this doll that I thought was so spectacular. My parents bought me a highchair and bunk beds for the doll and I remember toting that doll with me everywhere. Over time I lost the hat and shoes and then the dress. But I didn't care. She was still the prettiest doll any little girl ever had.
When I was 6 (or maybe 7?) we moved from St. Louis, MO to Honolulu, Hawaii. After moving to Hawaii I have no memories of playing with that doll. I don't know if I lost her. we left her in storage in the mainland or if the sunshine of Hawaii overshadowed any dolls I might have had (the toy I remember most from Hawaii was my blue bike with a white banana seat that had a huge daisy across it). At any rate after St Louis the doll seemed to be gone.
In all honesty it's not like I missed it all that much, I had three brothers to play with and beaches to go to. By the time we left Hawaii I was getting too old for dolls,but I have always thought that was the sweetest doll I ever had.
Lately I have noticed other bloggers around my age mentioning dolls they had when they were kids and that their moms saved them for years to unveil them when their own daughters were old enough to play with them. These other dolls reminded me strangely of my doll, though they were blonde or brunette and mine was a redhead. Imagine my surprise when I googled "My Friend Dolls" and laid my eyes on this:
That is my doll! Apparently she is a My Friend Becky doll made by Fisher Price in the early 80s. Yesterday I was looking on Ebay for them and Peanut was sitting next to me, exclaiming over how beautiful she was, which made me determined that I have to get her one for her next birthday. Since Peanut turns three in October I figure it gives me plenty of time to find one with all her parts and maybe even make some clothes for her (or beg the grandmas and great-grandma's to...). The Becky dolls were a tad rich for my blood at this time, but I did find a my friends pattern book to make some outfits from. If I remember correctly these dolls were smaller than the American Girl Dolls, so patterns for those dolls won't work for these.
And now I am shocked (and a tiny bit embarrassed) that I managed to devote a whole post to a toy I had as a kid. So I am going to go now.
