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My First Love

My 3-year-old niece, Haddariah Rose, loves the Minnie Mouse talking doll and play costume I got her for her birthday. She holds it, talks to it, tries to feed it and makes sure her Minnie Mouse doll gets her naps too. She gives love to this doll in the purest way she knows how.

I thought she might like Minnie Mouse because she seemed to have a great admiration for polka dots. She got a polka dot dress at her first birthday party, and she didn’t want to turn it loose. She had other dresses to choose from. But she only grabbed the dress with the polka dots. (Most models of Minnie Mouse wear a polka dot dress and a gigantic bow with white polka dots.)

This got me thinking about some of the toys and styles I fell in love with during my childhood. I had a life-size doll when I was younger. And since I was an only child at that time, this doll was my playmate and best friend. I dressed her. I combed her hair. And she even wore glossy, black, patent leather shoes like I wore to church on Sundays. And I just loved having her around.

Do you remember your first favorite toy and why you fell in love with it? Was it Mr. Potato Head and his many different looks? Was it Chatty Cathy, the talking doll and her several different phrases? Was it the Howdy Doody doll from the children’s television show, the Spirograph with its many design possibilities or the Etch A Sketch mechanical drawing toy?

What causes us to become so enamored with a particular toy or first love? It could be different for all of us, and one may never know. But one thing we know is we love what we love.

Nowadays, I love helping people. And here at Health Alliance, we love always being here for you. Whether you want to learn about insurance, need helpful resources or have member questions, it’s easy to connect with us. We love to help!

Sherry Gordon-Harris is a community liaison at Health Alliance™. She’s a wife and mother of two boys. She enjoys traveling, collecting dolls, and hosting princess parties and pageants.