You could keep it natural size, it's really hard to read right now >.<
I wouldn't look at most of those knuffel as perfect examples. I think Firn said she's more strict now, then she was during very first weeks of releases.
As for mermaid knuffel you quoted: yeah, fish and chips disappear, but they are few more changes between 1 and 2 stage that make knuffel itself change and that are visable right away: tail, eyes, skin + smaller changes in hair, small fin visable, hair changes. The evolution is quite visable and even if fish and chips were taken away from first stage, he'd still have lots of changes in himself.
I don't think those toys would be a problem if there were more changes in knuffel itself. Other then soldier/sword only visable change is adding shirt + smaller changes that aren't visable right away in form of smiling mouth and bit of hair added. For me first two stages are almost the same. There are changes, but no evolution.
As for second one: again, that rose in first one is symbolic, but knuffel itself changes in visable way. Also roses in 3rd stage aren't the same one as in first, first rose is most likely still under his shirt, while ones from 3rd one come as new element, so I don't really see your point here.
Most of knuffel you quoted have some changes that are visable right away, even without elements you pointed out. I don't think problem with your knuffel is in him holding toys, problem is that other then toys any changes are hardly visable. For me 1 and 2 look the same.
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