Meet Puppy Dog~ My Daughters Oldest Friend

Our daughter has had a giant bunny since she was a baby, named Puppy Dog.  Actually, she was only a few months old at that time. We had bought it on one of our trips to the store and used it to make a super comfy shopping cart surrounding. I buckled her up and bumpered her in with him. She was my first and being the precious cargo she was, I just had to make sure she was safe. She did not like being in the car seat at the store and would cry, so our only option to keep her happy was the front of the buggy. She was good to go with her buggy cover and her Puppy Dog. She named him Puppy Dog, even though he is a bunny. She has had him for so many years now. She would scoot on her little belly all the way to him and then eat his nose. So cute...he used to have a velvet nose but now has a shiny one.  I count him as a part of our family and I know I will just be so heartbroken the day she no longer needs him. That to me is the biggest sign of her getting bigger and growing up. It is a hard thing to face as a parent when you have to sort of let go a bit and just guide them as they grow up.

We have washed him, hand washed him, stuffed him, restuffed him, sewn him and sewn him some more. He is really at the end of his days. It had been a while since he had been washed and my husband got me a brand new washer and dryer. The washer has no rotator in the middle so I decided it was time to try to wash him again. I figured that had played some of the tear on previous washings. She was so upset because he was by himself and she was worried for him. I love that she has so much compassion for everything around her.

I have debated over what to do with him, to keep him squeezable still. Now, this has been thought about long and hard. What do you do with your childs oldest, most cherished toy? Sew it into a blanket? That would be great if I could sew, but handsewing small things is about as far as I get. Putting him on the shelf? Well, that is no fun. I have come to a dead end every time. I know the day will come when she will not need or want him any longer. I hope she will always cherish him. Like I said previously, that is the sign that means my baby has really grown into a big girl when she no longer needs her most cherished keepsake. I do not think I am ready for this yet....so I will continue to lightly clean and launder him until the end of his days. I mean this is some serious stuff.

I was so worried that he would fall apart, even in the most gentle wash. He made it, but would he make it through the dryer. I put him in and hoped for the best, but with his eyes and nose popping against the sides of the dryer. That really made her upset. I found a pillow case and put him in. This pillow case was the kind that folds in the middle rather than open on the sides. She stayed for a majority of the wash and drying process to make sure that he was okay. She didn't want him to be afraid, so she stayed. I loved this, it made my heart melt.

Have you experienced this? What did you do?