Babyland General Hospital - aka - Cabbage Patch Land

I have been shocked as an adult to find that my few southern born and bred friends did not grow up going to visit Babyland General Hospital in Georgia. It was such a wonderful part of my childhood. The original hospital was located in a different city than the current, and it was smaller, but we just loved it! I remember walking through the different hospital rooms at all the different cabbage patch babies, older and newer. The older ones of course were cloth and with facial features that were sewn in such as their noses and mouths. Eyes were hand painted. A slight bit creepy but still precious dolls. They make them in a few different ways now. I always loved mine and had an abundance. Some with no hair, some with long yarn hair for me to brush and style. It's a pretty magical place for a kid. Even boys. Most older boys probably won't want a doll, but they have many options for younger boys. Great for teaching loving and nurturing skills. My near 10 year old nephew still found it all interesting even though he was not into dolls as a gift for himself. They actually have a few other gifts for boys should you take a daughter and feel you are dragging a son along. Something for everyone, really. Babyland General Hospital is now in Cleveland, Georgia in a big white southern plantation looking home and has beautiful grounds for pic-nics, and playing yard games should you make a day of it. Kelsey (my sister), Lydia, Laurel, and myself, have all had the pleasure of going to adopt a cabbage patch baby, naming a baby that was born from mother cabbage under the big tree at the cabbage patch, and choosing our own baby from the patch to name and love forever. Now, it was Ellie's turn! Ellie was just smitten and just beside herself with all the babies everywhere!! Ohhh it was a treat watching that bouncing blonde head run to the patch and even climb up a rock to pick her a baby!! She pulled hard and plucked her baby from the cabbage leaves and cuddled her so tightly. She was able to get two this day....but she attempted to adopt the entire patch!! Lol! She also wanted to take home all the stuffed animal dogs. We got her a small dog to take home, too. It was her special day, after all! Ellie adopted her baby and so did the big girls with their chosen babies.

We had a pic-nic on the grounds and enjoyed the sunshine. Then we went water tubing. That's in the next blog!!