Julius

Before leaving Edinburgh, Matt and I decided that we should buy something special for the little one we were expecting. Ever since we had found out we were pregnant, we frequented this little toy store around the corner called Pinocchio. (http://www.pinocchiotoys.co.uk/index.htm) Throughout the UK there are these cute little stuffed toys called Moulin Roty dolls. We decided on the stuffed dog, since it was more gender neutral than the mouse or rabbit that I was dying for. His name is Julius, and we were so excited someday to see Laurelei play with it. 

Well, the playing started sooner than I expected because despite my best effort at insisting to Matt and you can't put stuffed toys in a babies crib, he smuggled Julius to the hospital anyway. One of our first pictures of her in her little plastic hospital crib she had Julius, almost the same length as her, next to her. It didn't stop when we got home as every night Matt would hold it as he rocked her or tuck it safely in the corner of her crib. Now, we cannot remove her best friend Julius from her. Laurelei is quite aware of our intentions if we even get close to her stinky little friend after she has been chewing on him for days. 

This presents quite a problem because Julius, being nothing more than cotton and wool, gets very stinky. Laurelei sucks and chews and suck and chews until he is soggy and stinky and gross. He is easily washed (since Matt and I decoded the European wash instructions,) but we simply have the worst time taking him away. The other night is the perfect example, I snuck in after she had fallen asleep, slipped him out of her arm and began soaking him immediately in the sink. About 15 minutes later our little one began to stir and promptly realized that Julius was not there. She would not sooth herself back to sleep and it escalated until Matt went into rescue her. For the next 30 minutes she cried and cried, more along the line of sobbing, until we went through every stuffed animal she had to find the closest on in material and shape. Thankfully, she was so tired that she didn't even open her eyes, so we were able to slip the frog under her arms and rock her for a few minutes until she drifted off to sleep. 

Since this incident we have discovered our big mistake.  What were we thinking to buy a toy in a foreign country and allow our child to become absolutely attached to it when there is seemingly no way to replace it if it happens to disappear. 

Currently my mom is searching the internet for a place to order another Julius, just in case.