Lovies

Maddy has a favorite bear that she has slept with every night since she was born. My cousin gave him to us while I was in the hospital after having Maddy. This bear has the ultra-creative name of "Bear". When she was little she took Bear everywhere she went. Strangers trying to be nice would say things like "Wow, that's a great bear! What is his name?" To which she would reply "Bear." and then the stranger would look at me. I would have to clarify... "The bear's name is Bear." with an apologetic look on my face. Naming things is not my daughter's strength. Never the less, Bear is well loved. Very well loved. When Maddy was about 18 months or so she started "wagging bear's tail" when she would fall asleep. She would hold the bottom of the tail with her thumb and middle finger and then move the tail back and forth with her pointer finger.

Connor also sleeps with a little teddy bear. My mother in law gave it to him while we were still in the hospital. His name is C.B. Which officially stands for "Connor's Bear" but has been changed to meet any passing fancy which pops into my head. C.B. also happens to be Connor's initials. When Connor had a pacifier he would suck his "fire" and hold the bottom of C.B.s foot against his nose. I don't know how that was comforting... but apparently it was. Once he stopped with the pacifier he took to putting C.B. under his head instead.

So about two weeks ago I was putting Connor to bed and he didn't want to lay his head on C.B. like usual. Instead he wanted C.B. sleeping on the pillow next to him, with the covers pulled up under C.B.s chin. I took sad note of this slight separation between Connor and his most cherished possession.

I walk directly from Connor's room to Maddy's room. I go in and Maddy burst into tears. "Bear's tail fell off!!" she wails. In her hand is a small, black, badly worn piece of string. Not a tail. Bear's tail hasn't been an actual tail in years. The fabric wore away long ago. All that was left was the seam of the tail. But it was good enough. But now... the seam has fallen off. A terrible thing. A heartbreaking event. Tears fell. Just a small hole where Bear's tail used to be.

I couldn't help but take notice of the difference here. Within minutes of each other my 3 year old makes a separation from his lovey and my seven year old wails in anguish over losing her lovey's best asset.

But don't worry... Maddy is still sleeping with Bear's tail. My child is comforted by a piece of string. Such a strange child.