A Boy and His Teddy

Teddy has been a very special part of this family for nearly three years now. Brendan was skeptical about him when we first brought him home but the soft and cuddly bear became his constant companion and there wasn't a night he would close his eyes without Teddy by his side. He tested a few other options... Geoffrey his stuffed giraffe... Tessa his other smaller bear... Freddy the frog... but no one compared to Teddy. This bear was so loved that the stuffing in his neck began to wear thin as a result of a little boy's hugs. His soft velvetty coat turned into a lovingly worn type of comfort. Brendan talked to him, played with him, slept with him and loved him as if he were truly his most cherished friend. So as silly as it sounds, his disappearance came with a huge sense of sadness and loss for all of us.

My search efforts were unsuccessful as I promised my sweet boy that I would continue to look as I tucked him in for bed. I opened cupboards and drawers, looked in closets and under beds and came up empty handed. As I kissed him sweetly on the cheek before I went to bed, he opened his eyes and whispered softly "did you find him mama?" and my heart began to break. "No sweetheart, but I'll keep looking..." as he replied a sweet "OK" and closed his eyes. I would not be going to bed... I would spend the next half hour searching in places I hadn't covered and would still be unsuccessful...

In the morning I felt a soft tapping on my shoulder.

"Mommy? I really love Teddy but I just can't find him" as he fought back tears. I HAD to figure this out. So we searched together and failed yet again. I pondered all the places he could be, feeling 99% sure that he never left the house. And as I reassured my boy that maybe Daddy would be more successful once he got home, I knew in my heart that Teddy may be gone forever. So I had to break it to him gently.

At the breakfast table I said "sweetheart, I think Teddy may be... gone..."

"Gone?!" he cried with a terrified look of horror and sadness that was quickly being accompanied by tears. "But mommy... Teddy is crying and he misses me... he needs me to find him."

And there it was... my heart was broken. I couldn't bring his teddy back.

Joe was sure that I just wasn't looking in the right places. But after a couple days of his return and hard searching we were baffled as to where he may have gone. So I took the last resort and ordered a brand new Teddy. I felt a strong sense of sadness as I knew he would never be the same. How would Brendan feel about replacing his very best friend? So the day he was being delivered I wondered "is it wrong to tell a tiny lie?"... I had an idea...

"Hey buddy" I said that morning, "I think I know where Teddy went."

"You do?!"

"I think he's not missing, he just went to get washed up for you and he's coming home today!"

"He is?! Silly Teddy, we thought he was missing but he wasn't! I'm so excited!!"

That afternoon as we began our trek upstairs for naptime, the doorbell rang and I sensed Brendan's excitement.

"Mama... I'll bet that's Teddy! Do you think that's Teddy?! Oh I hope that's Teddy!!" as he jumped up and down.

"Teddy?! Are you in there Teddy?! Teddy... come out!" I cried in semi-mock excitement as I ripped open the box.

Brendan grabbed him from my hands and wrapped his arms tightly around the bear's neck crying "oh Teddy... I missed you so much, please don't ever leave me again!"

And when I watched him fall asleep, clutching Teddy with a smile on his face I thought "no harm done in telling a tiny lie..."

We love you Teddy and we're so glad you're back :)