The Fuzzy

For the uninitiated, Grace, our number three child, has a "Fuzzy". THE Fuzzy. It looks like this:




It is from IKEA. We have bought two of them so far, because we wore the first one out when Grace was one. The second one made us a bit wiser, and so we do not wash it often, and we keep on big piece, and cut off smaller pieces for Grace to have. That way, if she loses one, we can cut off another piece of the "master" fuzzy.

That fuzzy was not supposed to leave home.

Which is why I figured it would just turn up someday, in a toy bin or under the bed.
But no... we still had a small one, but the big one had disappeared for three months, give or take. Surely someone had just not called us yet, and we would still find it. But that trip to IKEA was in the offing, because our little Dominic seems to like the Fuzzy, too, and so does our friend Rikki's kiddo.

In the meanwhile, today, I offered up one of my children to science. Ha ha... I accepted the invitation to bring my youngest to the UW to be in a study at I-LABS, or the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences. The main book to come of these studies so far is called "The Scientist in the Crib", which my mom gave me when I had my youngest. And so I have sacrificed all of my children but one so far to these studies. And that one child goes to another place next door for his own little studies.

As we entered, we said hello and went to the family waiting room which has many fun educational toys and a tv and a couch, and then I looked at the floor.

What did I see?

THE FUZZY.

It had been there for three months, with many children to love it and cherish it and put their boogers on it. But it was STILL THERE!

I think I was more overjoyed than Gracie was. Though I must add, she has not let go of it yet, and it's been four hours.

On the way home I handed a piece to Rikki for her kid, and I lopped off another piece for the experimented-upon child. He doesn't seem as attached as she does, but maybe he'll like it better at bedtime.

I just had to share my utter joy at the small things in life.

The experiment went well, by the way. I always enjoy finding out what fun little tricks they will try to play on my children. :)