Ugly Dolls
Twice, I have noticed Ugly Dolls–simply shaped, large-eyed, not-very-plush stuffed toys that come in various bruise-reminiscent colors–at friends’ houses. Both moms said the Ugly Dolls were gifts, and that the toddler recipient was largely immune to their charms. That has also been the case in our house. Our Ugly Doll(s), Bop ‘n’ Beep, gets more attention from me than from Drake. I think the doll is adorable in a jolie/laide kinda way. Drake, though, goes for the more traditional friends, like this giraffe, who was a gift for baby Guppy. My husband G. Grod surmises that the attraction of Ugly Dolls for adults is in their irony and backward cuteness, while toddlers don’t yet have the context to “get” them. I’ll be interested to see if the toddlers gain an appreciation for the Uglies when they’re older. Until then, though, I’ll take the advice of one of my friends: who needs to spend upwards of $13 at Paranoid Parent for a toddler crib pillow when we already have an Ugly Doll?