Several months ago , Newt and I had a conversation about sock monkeys.
I told her that they were a very popular toy of old. And, although I have never owned one (my mom was partial to making its cousin, the sock bunny) I have always thought them to be “dang cute”. A quick google image search later and Hannah was in agreement.
So, possibly in an effort to fulfill my own unmet childhood desire (although bunnies are very cute and I am lucky to have a mother willing to handcraft something for me), I decided to make a sock monkey for my girl as a Christmas gift. (Mother of the year nomination, anyone?)
Once again, I turned to my good friend google (what did I ever do without him?) who directed me to a website from which I was able to procure the original red heeled socks. When they arrived, I put them into my sewing basket and out of my mind.
Fast forward to November.
Newt’s Christmas list is made out and, of course “sock-monkey” is nowhere on it. And then, the Frantically Simple Family go on an outing to the movies.
We are enjoying Mr. Magorium’s Magic Emporium but are not expecting it to change our lives in any way. (I admit, that last sentence is a bit dramatic, but I like it, so it stays.) Suddenly, we make the acquaintance of the sweetest sock monkey in all creation. And all he wants is a hug. The little guy is in the movie for probably less than 30 seconds, but he absolutely steals the show. Abby even cried because he was so darn needy and adorable. (We’ll take it up in therapy.)
Once we got home, the Christmas list went through a dramatic revision. Sock monkeys took up the top two slots:
1. A sock monkey
2. A magical sock monkey
Jackpot for me! I couldn’t guarantee #2, but #1 was in the bag!
I created the little creature in a day, trying with all my might to imbue personality into his every (somewhat crooked) feature. In a spirit of Marthaism, I even hand knit a tiny hat and scarf set for him (with love in every stitch). Here is a portrait of my masterpiece:
On Christmas Eve, while Abby was knocking on the gates of Dreamland, I slipped him into her slumbering arms.
The next morning, oddly enough, I woke first and could hardly wait for my little girl to get up. After hanging around for half an hour or so, I shook some jingle-bells in her ear to get things moving.
A couple of minutes later, she ran in our room clutching her new best friend (now named Bananas). She was shocked to discover that I had sewed him myself. My stock went way up in my little girl’s eyes that day!
I asked her how she felt waking to discover that she had been snuggling him all night and she told me that she had woken in the night. When she saw him, she thought that she was peeking (not allowed!) so she grabbed him tight, but kept her eyes closed. Abby thinks he may have hugged her back while she wasn’t looking.
After all the excitement and gifts of the day, she still claims Bananas is her very favorite Christmas present.
I think he may be magical after all.
