Doggy has become an essential part of Kenneth's life. He is there whenever Kenneth needs him, every night just before falling asleep, throughout long car rides, during traumatic visits to the doctor, after a particularly nasty fall, and whenever a new tooth starts to ache. Dogs have a well deserved reputation as man's best friend and this particular doggie has earned a place as our dear baby's best buddy. What Kenneth does not know is that there is actually more than one Doggy.
Doggy first came into our life as a cute gift from friends Tessa and Axel to welcome Kenneth's birth. In a moment of forward-thinking parental brillance, Nina supplemented the original purchase with three(!) substitute doggies after Kenneth's birth. She had seen first-hand the experience of other people's babies losing their favorite stuffed animals and the horror which quickly followed.
It is a delicate game of hide-and-seek which we parents now must play, since Kenneth may never see Doggy and his doppelgangers together. There have been moments when the secret was almost revealed, as when Kenneth played with Doggy in the crib and then moments later saw a second Doggy in the clothing cabinet. Nina reports that he had a quizzical look on his face (like Neo learning he was living in the matrix?), but soon shrugged off the event. One Doggy has already become a casuality, lost somewhere on a weekend road trip to Basel. We received some good advice from veteran parents that we should rotate the doggies so that they have the same amount of "wear and tear" or else the child catches on. So now we do weekly rotations: this week Doggy number 1 is in the crib with Kenny, Doggy number 2 is in the laundry, and Doggy number 3 is waiting in the closet as a back-up!
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I'm totally in synch with you here! Kelly has seven (yes, seven) blankets. She knows they are different, but they are strategically found in each car, her bed, upstairs, downstairs, and typically the laundry...
Glad to hear you are doing well! Good luck with the illnesses. That too shall pass.
Cheryl