I made a quick run home during a long break in school today to take some saltines to a Little One sick on her birthday and a super-sized latte to Her Mom. Since I’d left my debit card at home, I was literally scraping change out of my school desk drawer, then the arm rest of the car.
Since I didn’t have my card, I couldn’t do my usual under such circumstances – buy something special, usually a little stuffed animal, for the yucky-feeling Little One. That just wouldn’t do! I had to have something special….. Then I got an idea.
While home, I went into my room and pulled down a special someone from his perch on the shelf. Blowing dust off of him, I tucked him behind my back and went into the livingroom. Her eyes lit up when she saw my hands behind my back. The conversation follows:
Me: This is not a present. It’s just something special for you to snuggle while you’re feeling bad.
Little One: (eyes sparkling)
Her Mom: (looking confused)
Me: But don’t tell your Mom what it is, because when she was little, she wasn’t allowed to snuggle him.
HM: (understanding) No!
Then from behind me I pulled out Theodore, a little 8-inch teddy bear I got way more than 40 years ago. He has worn patches, a new mouth, and has had major surgery on his neck. His head wobbles and his nose is wiggly, but he is still the cutest teddy bear I have ever seen.
She agreed. She took him gently, understanding his preciousness, then cut her eyes over at Her Mom whose mouth was hanging open in shock. Little protest noises were coming from her, making Little One’s eyes sparkle even more. More conversation:
Little One (to me): He’s so cute! Look at his eyes!
Her Mom (mumbling):Â He has eyes? I’ve never been close enough to him to see his eyes.
LO (to me): You loved some of his fur off.
HM (still mumbling): Fur? Is that fur?
LO (to me): And his nose is wiggly. Did you love that, too?
HM (still mumbling): I’ve never seen his nose, much less felt his nose.
Little Theodore was tucked into those arms when I left. The eyes were still sparkling as she absently played with his wiggly nose. I was laughing at the exchange and sharing knowing smiles with Her Mom over her head. Of course she was just kidding. And yet….. If that Little One goes to sleep this afternoon, I have a feeling someone else will be sneaking a Theodore snuggle.
L. Watson Smith 
=) About 5 minutes after you left, she walked over to me, carrying him oh-so-carefully, and said “Mama, would you like to GENTLY hold him for a moment?” And we inspected each worn spot, loose thread, repaired owie, talked about the adventures that Nana and Theodore might have had, and how weird it was to think of Nana before she was Nana (or even Mama!). Little One then told me that when she is a Nana, she will share her Duckie when her baby’s babies are sick. What a fun highlight to our not-so fun birthday!
That is perhaps the most precious thing I’ve ever read. And you made me ink.
Linda Smith https://lindasmith139.wordpress.com/ http://twitter.com/#!/LindaSmithPs139 “Writer’s block is like…um….”
I love the Smith’s!!! Happy Birthday LO.
Love
Aunt Besty and Uncle Bill
That was great Linda! I can just picture LO smiling, and HM mumbling. I love the fact that LO decided to share Theodore with HM after you left. Thanks for sharing. I’m looking forward to little moments like this with my LO. =)