Meet Eeyore.
He is Theron's favorite stuffed animal.
He gets carried/drug everywhere.
He gets sat on
hugged
snuggled with
chewed on
laid on.
He has water poured on him
mud smeared on him
rocks thrown at him
things piled on him.
He gets carried to the stroller to join in on the walk,
then dropped in the dirt
and rolled over
and picked back up
and handed back to outstretched toddler arms
to repeat the process again.
Because the love of a toddler is a little traumatic for the object of love.
Eeyore gets washed much less frequently than he should,
because there is no time to wash and dry him between naps
and heaven forbid a nap happen without Eeyore.
Eeyore gets thrown out of the crib in a fit of anti-nap fervor
and then post-Eeyore-throwing remorse immediately sets in
and we hear a mournful wail from the nursery
EEEEYYYYOOOOOORRRREEEEE!!!!
and we have to go and hand Eeyore back, if the nap is going to proceed.
Eeyore gets drug through the mud
and his bedraggled, muddy state,
like that of the Velveteen Rabbit,
bears witness to how much he is loved by a little boy.
The other day, I noted this to my husband, as Eeyore underwent yet another traumatic event in his stuffed life.
"I don't know whether to feel sorry for Eeyore that he is so mistreated, or be happy for him because he is so loved!"
And my wise husband responded,
"Just remember that thought when you feel like you have been drug through the mud -- it is because you are so loved!"
Because the love of a toddler is a little traumatic for the object of love.
But us who are loved by the toddler
wouldn't change it for the world.
Because Eeyores and Mommies are just a little different from regular humans.
Eeyores and Mommies try to see you,
not what you say when you are mad.
Eeyores and Mommies will snuggle you
when you are covered with snot
and dirt
and who knows what other Toddler Cooties.
Eeyores and Mommies will love you
at your worst.
Even when you drag them through the mud.
I'm so glad that God
is a little bit like Eeyores and Mommies
when I act like a toddler
and my love is a little traumatic.
Before I had children, a friend, who had many children, commented, "When your child starts to develop a favorite stuffed animal immediately go out and purchase a duplicate. When you get home find a way to trade the duplicate for the original. Trade them often to make sure that both are equally loved and dirtied." I did this with both of my children. The youngest learned about the duplicate first. She wanted to give her favorite to her baby cousin- there is a 3.5 year age difference between them and she fell in love with baby cousin at first contact. The older learned about the duplicate when he was about 8.5 years old. I will say that having 2 of my kids favorites has been a huge blessing and sanity saver.
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