A stuffed animal kind of family

One day years ago Bryan and I took a toodler  Brookelyn and a baby Vincent to go eat at IHOP. We went with our friends and neighbors . At this time IHOP was still selling there loads of beanie baby type stuffed animals in the front. From the moment we walked in Brookelyn wanted one and was touching them all and taking them off the shelf bringing them to Bryan and I begging for them. We decided to seize the opportunity and made a deal, she could have 1 of the stuffed animals after we ate if she was good and sat still and ate all her food. Its funny I remember all the details of this night. I remember what I was wearing, what Brooke was wearing and that it was storming rain outside. Brooke kept saying "BOOM BOOM" anytime thunder would strike. Anyway, dinner was a success! Brookelyn was a complete angel and a sleeping Vincent was sung in his car seat the whole dinner! Succsess! As we were walking out we stopped to let Brookeyn pick one of the small little soft treasures that were stacked upon the shelves. Brookelyn, was very much into pink, princess and unicorns and anything magical at the time. I was convinced she was going to pick the sparkly pink unicorn or the shiny silver Pegasus. Nope, I was wrong. She picked the cutest little soft cream colored lamb. She hugged that thing with all her might. I still remember her little voice saying "mommy, this is lamby. My lamby." Already named and loved. Brookelyn was also very certain that her baby brother needed one to. He needed the the little bear dressed in blue pjs. " Much obliged I bought that bear to.

Fast forward years later. Brookeyns favorite stuffed animal in which she had to sleep with, travel with or cuddle close when shed go to a doctor was that little lamb Lamby. And low and behold that little bear had become Vincents attachment to. "Bears", that was its name. By this time we had added to our family and had little Brenin. Besides being attached to a blanket, he really did not have a stuffed animal attachment until.... we took a family vacation to SeaWorld.  Then it happend. My kids were allowed to pick 1 souvenir before we went home. Brenin picked a little whit seal. He picked a name on his own and loved that white seal. It went everywhere with him. Just like his siblings before him when they were young. A extended identity of our cute toddler kids.

Again, we are at  a new part of our life.  We are living out our days in the NICCU at Primary Childrens Hospital with baby #4, a boy named Ryker. While I was pregnant with him he moved around a lot in my belly. I use to say he was like a monkey swinging from the trees. The name monkey stuck. The nurses even drew pictures of monkeys on the white board by his crib, and his little section "his home" was decorated by monkeys.  When he returned home to Heavenly Father 4 months later He was buried with a little monkey and some of his flowers were decorated with monkeys. It became him, his little symbol.  I have a copy of the same monkey he had laying next to him every day and that we buried him with as well in my room. Another stuffed animal to add to our family collection.

Finally, our last fast forward. Little Cloey arrived about a year and 1/2 later. While I was pregnant some one gave me a cute rabbit stuffed toy from a company called Scentsy . They are stuffed animals that have little scented pouches in them that make the stuffed toy smell yummy. This rabbit smelled liked baby powder. I was so excited for my new baby girl coming to cuddle it and love it. When she was a newborn I had seen  some other stuffed scentsy toys at a boutique so I bought 2 more. A unicorn and a green dragon. Within weeks it became very apparent that Cloey loved that dragon the very best. It went and still goes everywhere with us. I laugh, cause here we go again, a new little one in our family with a stuffed toy they love. 

Each of my kids still have these special treasures although now most of them just sit upon shelves in there rooms now, not needing to be cuddled or dragged everywhere. But there still here, and I hope that maybe just maybe my kids can give there special comforts to there kids someday. Or, leave them here with mom in her hope chest, I'm ok with that to! ;)

**side note: wouldn't ya know it, Bryan and I also had special stuffed toys like this to when we were young, must be in the DNA!