My Baby's Teddy Bear

Annaliese has a teddy bear that she received for Christmas last year from my aunt and uncle (her great Aunt and Uncle).   Even as a little 3 month old baby, she always loved the way that the teddy felt.  It's soft furry back, plush head and silk "belly" blanket leaves her feeling safe and secure.

3 months old with teddy

She sleeps with Teddy every night.  Her eyes light up when she sees her teddy.  We even bribe her to walk to us by holding Teddy.  This works only half of the time...  

We've found it.  The security toy/animal/blanket that this little girl will most likely invite to all of her tea parties, play dress up with, and drag around with for years to come.  It reminds me of part in the movie Mr. Mom where the little boy had a small anxiety attack when his dad asked him to give up his "Woobie" (or blankie).

Here's a clip from the movie where dad (played by Michael Keaton) is convincing his son why he needs to give up his "Woobie".

I had a security toy/animal when I was a baby too.  How I came to know this story was my dad had won my mom a little stuffed raccoon at a carnival.  He gave it to her and said that this is for our little baby.  Of course back then they didn't know if I was a boy or a girl yet because technology wasn't advanced enough yet.  So the day I was born I was given a little stuffed raccoon.  It slept in the crib with me.  It was my best friend.

Funny side story- One night, when I was about 2 years old asleep in my crib, my parents heard some noise outside my opened window.  They closed the window and went back to sleep as I was okay and unharmed.  The next morning, as my dad went to go take the trash out to the trash cans, which happened to be outside my window, he saw my little raccoon sitting on top of the trash can.  My dad found this to be hilarious...my mom, not so much.  ;)

This is what my raccoon looks like today.  I named him "Re" when I was a kid.  My mom says I named him after trying to say my middle name "Marie"...I guess I just ended up with "Re" for short.  He used to be a lot thicker...OK, actually he used to be a completely different raccoon.  I think after me having him so long and him taking a slight kid-friendly beating, my mom had to completely remake Re...(maybe that's why his name is Re, for Remake...) Anyway, my talented mother created this raccoon I think when I was around 2 or 3.  I think she did pretty darn good, except he is a little non symmetrical.  ;)  Also his eyes are scratched up, his fur is non existent and you can almost see his stuffing, his mouth is almost gone, his tail is almost falling off, and he's pretty flat.  But he's my Re and I've always been very protective of him.  When my brother and I would fight as kids, he knew that the best way to get to me was to hide Re or take him "hostage" (we were a little cruel to each other - I guess that's normal)  ;)

Present Day "Re"

Since Justin and I found out we were going to have a baby and had put together a nursery, I placed Re on a shelf overlooking the crib.  It may sound funny or even ridiculous, but this little stuffed animal has been the only constant thing in my childhood.  Through moving across country and back and my parents divorce he was my constant friend and tear-catcher.  I told myself a long time ago that I would give him to my first born, so when Annaliese is old enough to understand, I will give him to her and tell her the story of how I was given him and why he stayed with me through life.  I hope Re is as special to her, as he is to me.  Re and Teddy will be lifelong friends.  :)

Do you have a stuffed animal or blanket from your childhood that you've kept?