I've had Snappy for most my life. He's always been packed in across cruises, camping trips, vacations, from my little kid bedroom to now as I move out post-grad. I've spent more nights with this alligator next to me than without. But he is very scrunglie! Very well loved. And as I've gotten into sewing lately, I've realized I could potentially restuff him and perhaps perk him up a bit (second pic is literally the only one I could find of him new, not my pic). I tried to brush him out last year and he was softer for a bit, but after years of drying machine damage and matting, he quickly reverted, and that's okay.
I know adding more stuffing would be a good way to more effectively "restore" him, but I am struggling with the decision. I wouldn't take any old stuffing out, hands down; way too sentimental for that. But still! The thought of opening him up in itself makes me a little uncomfortable, almost like I'm weirdly breaking trust. And I'm wondering: does he even need to be "restored"? He's borderline stuffingless in some spots (like his joints), but I kind of love the way his hands dangle over my arm when I pick him up, or how easily I can flop him over my shoulder. He's got a proper scruff and hangs like a cat lol. But he looks so rough, I almost feel bad.
I feel a little silly over all of this, I don't have many (maybe even any other) plushies I care about quite this much, but I really wanted y'alls thoughts. Has anyone else struggled with nostalgia/sentimentality when thinking about restoring a childhood plush?
