Photo 6/375 Loveys

Each of my kids has had a special "lovey"-

an item that brings them comfort and is their special bedtime friend.

Kate had a little doll called "Baby Blanket"- at least that is what we called it.

It was a tiny doll, soft all over, that had a little tiny blankie sewn to her hand.

The tiny blankie was flannel with a satin lining around the edges. 

Kate would rub that lining with her fingers, pop her thumb in her mouth

and she would literally swoon. Her eyes would roll right up in her head.

It was downright Pavlovian.

Since then, she has a blanket called the "Daddy Blanket"

(we are crazy creative in our house, right?)

This blanket was Rob's when he was a boy.

It is all soft and silky. I think his None made it for him.

It has been sewn and resewn and resewn. It is all lumpy.

But she loves it!

Chris had little travel sized blankies.

They were flannel on one side and silky on the other.

He liked them and slept with them but never had the fervor and undying devotion

that Kate had.

For the past several years, he sleeps with a stuffed otter named Otto

that his dad got him (there's that creativity again!).

Otto is starting to look a little worn 

and he has a hole over his tail that is scotch-taped regularly.

Chris loves Otto.

Trey didn't have a Lovey for a long time.

I tried with the small, convenient silky blankets.

Nope, he wouldn't have them.

I tried with a few stuffed animals.

Nope.

He wanted one Lovey and that was me.

Or, to be more precise, two parts of me.

UNTIL.

The time came for Richard and Michelle to be married.

Trey was just turning three 

and was WILDLY unpredictable.

They asked him to be the "Ring Bear"

and Rob and I were greatly concerned.

Between his penchant to be shy/obstinate

and his desire to GROWL at every person in sight

(after all, isn't that what a ring BEAR does?),

we had no idea what to expect of him.

Ultimately, we had his brother go down the aisle with him.

I hope Richard and Michelle forgive us

but trust me, it could have been SO. MUCH. WORSE.

Anyway, they gave each of our children a gift after the wedding.

Trey got the cutest little bear that has a big red nose and smile.

On his little feet, it says "Won't you be my.. teddy bear"

This become Trey's lovey.

Problem is....

he was insistent that it was actually a reindeer.

Rudolph, to be precise, with the big red nose.

So, "Roon-off" it is and always will be.

Roon-off is looking a little worse for wear these days.

He's leaking some stuffing,

but he is full of love.