I’ve never thought much about stuffed animals. I didn’t have much use for them as a kid, much less as an adult. For most of Pooky’s life, she’s felt the same way. She was indifferent to the few stuffed animals she had, preferring instead to play with regular household objects (she likes to put paper in her mouth when we’re not watching).

But her indifference blossomed into love the day a certain stuffed green frog arrived in the mail from Madallie. Even I could immediately see that this frog was of above average quality. It’s quite soft and cuddly, if I do say so myself. Its bean-baggy sections give it a little weight, which instill it with more substance than typical light-as-a-feather stuffed animals, but it’s not so heavy that a 9-month-old can’t drag it around easily. And there’s something about the floppiness of its arms that makes me smile. So, I liked it. But would Pooky? Would she ever.

This frog is the first thing, living or stuffed, that Pooky has actively hugged. Sure, she’ll clutch onto us in moments of fright, and she’ll drape herself all over us when she falls asleep in our arms, but this is different. It’s not, “Hold me, I’m scared!” or “That shoulder looks like a nice pillow.” It’s more like “Hey froggy, you’re so cuddly! Come here and let me hug you!” Then she kisses it, which she never does to us. It’s kind of weird, but it makes her happy. Plus, it’s ridiculously cute to see the two embrace.

Pooky’s frog is from the Jellycat line of stuffed animals and it, along with its many animal friends, is available in the Comfort Dolls section of Madallie: A Children’s Travel Store. Price: $22.95.