lovey

in this house we encourage giving love enormously, receiving love graciously, and general use of your heart to promote positive things, and making others and yourself feel good. with this philosophy, sometimes there are inanimate objects that get the very best part of that love.

for the big brother, we have Hopper.

Hopper has been a part of this family for 9 years.

9 years and 9 days to be exact. if you're keeping track, that would be the very same day that the big brother made his debut.

Hopper probably knows all of his wishes, his dreams, his fears, and his thoughts. Hopper is his best pal, and he'll tell you that - without even the inkling of embarrasment. Hopper has been loved, and held, and cuddled. he has received kisses, hugs, held high honors of special placement on the bed each morning when he makes it, he has protected him through thunder and lightening storms, first days of school, and when he's been not feeling so great. one thing that cam will tell you, as well, is he has never been mishandled. he doesn't get roughhoused, or tossed around, or aggressively played with. he is there to be loved. and to give love. so loved, so much, that his covering wore out. about 7 years ago.

he was then gingerly turned over to mimi for "just a few minutes - i'll need him tonight" to sew a hockey jersey onto his body to further protect him. she heard the request, and listened. not one night has been skipped. not.one. Hopper received his new jersey and was tucked snuggly in the arms of his buddy that night.

Hopper is a traveler as well. he has been to California, Hawai'i, Florida several times, all over New England many times, New York, New Jersey, and several other locations. he likes to travel, as long as his buddy is within arms reach, waiting to keep him warm. Hopper has been a good friend. a friendship that is cherished, and admired.

then we have the little sister's bestest friend, Flopper. (have i mentioned the admiration thing here?) Flopper looks like this:
not to be left out, Flopper also has a 'covering' although hers was not due to wear, hers was truly a fashion statement. i mean honestly, have you ever seen a white bunny with a pink nose, NOT have a cute ballet leotard on? i digress ....

Flopper is a dear, sweet, patient little gal. she's been with the family for 5 years. she was acquired from the easter bunny one year, and when i tell you she stole the heart of the little sister? ... it was as if her heart jumped from her chest and into Flopper's! there is no doubt that Flopper has heard countless lessons on reading, writing, and arithmatic, as well as countless books read to her. i have witnessed and experienced high tea with she and the friends, and even an occasional gymnastic meet exhibition. she also has an esteemed, highly sought after, quite special location on the bed of the little sister each morning.

she also has several friends that are there scampering to squeeze in, steal that seat, if you will. the little sister, due to her undying need to take care of all things equally, and can love many things at once, will share her heart more freely, than say, the big brother - who reserves but one *seat* and one spot for just one fella. what i mean is, Flopper gets loads of love, and has a special place in the little sisters heart, she is spoiled, and hugged each night - very tightly - or she has her very own pillow with special blanket because "she isn't feeling well tonight, mom" and she travels quite a bit, as well. but there are others that tug at the old heart strings of little sister, too ... and the little sister has no worries about 'sharing the love' if you know what i mean. so, although Flopper is special, and she'll tell you this herself, she has friends that qualify for verrrry close seconds. and let's face it, we all need friends in this world.

so, i bet it won't surprise you when you hear about this:

that's humpty dumpty.

he was mine.

for a long, long time. a long, long time ago.

he's been sewn and patched, and washed and fluffed. he was my lovey. he and my blanket. my blanket unfortunately, is gone. my mom did the unthinkable to that when she was trying to "break me" of the thumb sucking. my blanket was the partner to the thumb. she couldn't cut my thumb, so she .... cut the satin off the blanket. {gasp} i know. her thinking was that if she took the part that i liked, i'd stop automatically. it didn't work. i found the satin in the garbage and replaced it with the other part of the blanket. hey, i wanted what i wanted. i sucked my thumb until i was 12 (and i am a well adjusted, reasonable adult who has very straight teeth and NEVER had braces - take THAT you orthodontists!!) i had small pieces of that satin for years, but by the time i finished sucking my thumb, it was gone.

gone but not forgotten. obviously.

so, i digress again. my blanket and humpty were my pals. they knew all my wishes, and dreams, and stories, and fears. they traveled, and sat high atop my bed, in a special place waiting for my warm love at the end of the day, or when we both needed it. they were best of friends, never roughhoused with, or mistreated, or mishandled. loved.

loved like they deserved. and they loved me back. i knew they did.

and i still have humpty. if i have anything to do with it, the big brother and the little sister will have their best friends when they are thirty-something too.