My Daughter Went To College And Left Her Childhood Toy At Home, So I Took These 40 Photos To Cheer Up And Fight The 'Empty Nest Syndrome'

I (mom) came up with the idea to take pictures of this plushie toy in the spur of the moment. I just wanted to make my daughter Clio feel less sad for having forgotten it at home, showing her that I was going to take good care of him by keeping him super busy during her absence! I just meant it to be funny and cute, but in reality it soon became a way to distract myself from the void I felt when my daughters left home for college, and also gave me a creative outlet that made the isolation during the peak of the pandemic feel less claustrophobic.

Cagnolino in Italian means “little dog” and that’s the very simple name she called him when she first got it. I bought it for her when she was about 2 years old, a good 20 years ago! It was the very first plushie she got really attached to, the most special one that never left her side… until she forgot it at home after winter break during her junior year in college!!!

I shared the first photos of Cagnolino with family and friends and everyone went absolutely crazy about them! A friend told me that those pictures brought back a bit of that pure childhood magic that made her feel “deeply happy". They seemed to be able to strike a particular chord in everyone who saw them, so I realized that Cagnolino’s objective cuteness HAD to be shared with a larger audience. The Instagram account allowed me to keep everyone updated on his latest “adventures” and spread his cheer more broadly. “What is he going to do next?” is what we all want to know, right?

Taking pictures of Cagnolino has absolutely become a way to stay closer to my kid! This little plushie is not just any other toy, this is definitely a “Velveteen Rabbit” moment right here! It has been a loved and treasured companion throughout her childhood, and he’s very precious to me especially because of the love my baby girl has always had for it. Every time I look at it, it brings back a bit of that wonderful part of her childhood.

Most people are utterly charmed by the cuteness of the magical world I try to create with and around him. Small, simple, sweet, even humorous and ironic. Many people send me private messages to let me know how touched they are by the pictures and what it evokes in them.

Also, funny thing is that just as much as my daughter used to take Cagnolino wherever she went, now I'm the one who takes him everywhere! I mean… holidays, wedding anniversary getaways, family get-togethers, college graduations, shopping trips, hiking…he’s coming with me no matter what! Often my husband takes pictures of me while I’m shamelessly photographing this little plushie in the midst of crowds of people, while crouched down or even laying on the ground to get the best angles, while people look at me as if I’m insane…he’s totally worth it, though!