Blog #1: Sylva the Raccoon (Webkinz Signature)

 Sylva the Webkinz Signature Raccoon

Name: Sylva

Gender: Female

Obtained: July 2009

Background: Ganz released their monthly Webkinz Signature line of plushies in April of 2009, beginning with the Signature Panda. I had only been collecting Webkinz for about a year, and I missed out on the first few Signatures because these plushies came with a heftier price tag than a normal Webkinz, at about $25 per. However, my luck changed a bit in July of 2009, when the Webkinz Signature Raccoon was released. I had just turned 10 years old. I didn't usually beg for plushies, but I actually did beg my parents to buy me this one; I've always loved raccoons, and this plushie looked significantly nicer than the regular Webkinz raccoon (not to mention, I never had the opportunity to get the original until fairly recently).

So they bought it for me, and I was absolutely enamored with this plushie for months. As you can see in the picture, this plushie is well-loved. Her whiskers are missing, the air-brushing on her nose is worn off, her fur is slightly matted and not as soft as a new Signature's would be, she actually has a small hole in her back where the stitching runs down the back, and compared to a brand new Signature Raccoon, her fur is slightly yellowed. I carried this plushie with me everywhere I went, and I have a lot of amazing memories from the summer when I got her. Namely, she reminds me of an uncle who actually passed away about a year or so later; my aunt, his wife, has a picture on her wall of him, my brother, and me holding this raccoon plushie.

Out of all my plushies, this one means the most to me. She may not be my #1 favorite anymore, but she will always hold a special place in my heart. I recently got another Signature Raccon that is like new, just so that I could have a newer one to go along with my other gently used plushies, but he could never replace Sylva. I consider them to be a couple and they always look so cute together!

Personality and Other Info: Sylva is an older adult, who acts as a mother figure to the others. Everyone goes to her for advice, and she offers a listening ear to whoever needs it. Very seldom will you find her angry, and when she is angry she never wishes to project it onto others. She never holds a grudge. She's also very forgiving and kind-hearted, almost naive. She likes to wear frilly dresses and go on strolls with Maury. Her hobbies include gardening, cross-stitching, sewing, and chatting with friends.

Fun Fact: When I originally got this plushie I named her "Shaak-Ti". I think that might be the name of a Star Wars character, but I've never seen any of the movies. As a kid I simply thought it sounded cool. I recently changed it to Sylva, which is a Latin name meaning "from the forest". I think that name is much more fitting. Unfortunately the original name cannot be changed on the Webkinz website so, in an odd way, she will always be known as Shaak-Ti.