Make New Friends

But keep the old.
One is dirty, matted and well loved
and the other's white, fluffy and the kid wants nothing to do with him.


On the left we have Caleb's best friend, "Bear." This was the first gift that Caleb ever received. Aunt Dani sent it as soon as she found out I was pregnant. I got it in the mail when I was about 6 weeks along. We introduced it to Caleb around 6 months when he was able to have stuffed animals in the crib with him. He became attached to it sometime after he turned 1. And since then he's gotten that "Velveteen Rabbit" well-loved look about him.

On the right we have another stuffed animal who sort of resembles "Bear," but contrary to what you might think he is not "Bear!" I ordered this one a few weeks ago when Caleb started daycare just in case we should happen to misplace the coveted "Bear." When this one arrived, I couldn't believe how bright, white, and fluffy he was. I had forgotten that "Bear" had ever looked like that.

Caleb has completely rejected the replacement animal. He carries Bear around by the tail, and presses the tail in and out to comfort himself, while he's falling asleep, and even during his sleep.




The first thing he did when I gave him the new animal was feel the tail. He promptly proclaimed, "This is not my Bear!" Now I just have to try to squeeze Bear into the regular wash cycle without Caleb missing him and pray that we can keep tabs on his whereabouts until the attachment wanes in a few years.