Back and better than ever

Someone is enjoying a career resurgence in our house. At first he was the Chosen One – perfect and beautiful – then he suddenly lost popularity and was tossed in with the “others” and forgotten. Then, unexpectedly, he was picked up by a different child half a decade later and is now more beloved then ever.

I guess he’s a little like Teri Hatcher.

My oldest child’s first love was Brown Bear. Given to her by one of my dearest friends when she was a baby, Brown Bear went everywhere with us. He and the binkie were the only two things my daughter insisted on having at bedtime, and I have Brown Bear to thank for cuddling my baby girl to sleep every night.

But as she got older, she just didn’t need him as much anymore. Actually, when she gave up the binkie (later than I care to admit on a parenting blog!), Brown Bear kind of went away, too. I was a little sad that the sweet phase of her life was behind us, but dwelling in the past isn’t my thing. So I moved on. But of course I always placed Brown Bear front and center on her bed – just in case she wanted a little cuddle now and then.

And that’s how her baby brother discovered him.

I’m excited to say Brown Bear is back in full-force in the Perry house. He’s a little matted down and tired-looking, but that makes him super cuddly (ok, now I feel like I am describing myself). The baby is completely attached to him and wants to sleep with him every night. My daughter is tickled and thrilled that someone else sees Brown Bear’s beauty – even if she kind of forgot about it for awhile.

It doesn’t surprise me that the fourth child (and third boy) loves a good hand-me-down – I mean, it’s really all he knows. But it does surprise me how much I love seeing him sleep with Brown Bear.

Sometimes he’s wearing the same (unisex) PJs my daughter wore (the only PJs that have made it through 4 kids and 8 years are the GapKids PJs – I’m just saying…), so when I see him cuddling Brown Bear, it’s like I’m right back where I started (and maybe I’m 26 again?).  But the best part is I’m not as uptight and not as scared. I just appreciate every moment of seeing him sleep because I know when I blink he’s going to be an 8-year-old boy who doesn’t need any cuddling – or so he will think.

And yes, maybe I feel a little connection to Brown Bear. I mean, sometimes it does kind of worry me that when my kids are teenagers, they are going to figure out I am not the magic answer – that they can’t just hug me and make all of their problems go away. I guess if they toss me aside for a little while – but I stay visible – there’s always the strong possibility they’ll come right back around to what they’ve always known and to what’s kept them feeling safe.

In the meantime, I’ll enjoy seeing Brown Bear in his new role with baby brother…hopefully his next role will be in Toy Story 4 so I can really know what went on during the dark years of his early retirement when no one was watching.

Has this happened in your family? What toy has made a new life for itself in your house?