Tonight I went in to read to Ashton and tuck him into bed and realized his Lovey wasn't in bed with him. This happens all the time and we just go look around and usually find him in the living room or downstairs in the family room. Tonight we searched the house up and down about 4 times getting more and more frustrated as we looked. He was NOWHERE to be found! As I started to get really worried that he was gone for good this time I couldn't believe how sad I felt and how I almost started to panic. For those of you that don't know Lovey, he is Ashton's first and best friend that he has had since he was 3 months old. His Aunt Shelley made him for him and gave him to him the weekend he got baptized. From then on he slept in Ashton's crib with him and by the time Ashton was about 11 months old he was already VERY attached to him running around with him calling him "wuvee". 
He took him with him everywhere we went...on walks, in the car, to all of his grandparents houses etc...But more than anything he always slept with him. I remember one night when he was about 20 months old or so and he was very sick throwing up. We had to give him a bath in the middle of the night and he cried so hard for Lovey that I eventually just ended up throwing him in the tub with him! On many of our walks there were times when we'd get home and realize that Lovey was gone. We'd get in the car and retrace our steps looking for him, sometimes finding him in the middle of the road. One time we didn't realize he was gone till it was naptime and as I thought back the last time I'd remembered seeing him was on our walk that morning. So we got in the car and went off looking for him again. I prayed and prayed to St. Anthony that we would find him and that someone hadn't picked him up. Luckily even 6 hours later or whatever it was we found him in the middle of a sidewalk that we'd walked on that day.
Anyway Lovey is a BIG part of Ashton's life and I was just imagining how heartbroken he would be if he never got to hold him and sniff him again. He still (at 4 1/2) walks around sniffing him all day long. I remember when we were finishing our basement and Ashton was "helping" Lars downstairs, I wouldn't let him take Lovey down with him. So I saw him one time set Lovey down on the chair before he went down, then walk down a couple stairs and turn around and come back up, sniff Lovey while saying "Just one more sniff", then go downstairs!
He took him with him everywhere we went...on walks, in the car, to all of his grandparents houses etc...But more than anything he always slept with him. I remember one night when he was about 20 months old or so and he was very sick throwing up. We had to give him a bath in the middle of the night and he cried so hard for Lovey that I eventually just ended up throwing him in the tub with him! On many of our walks there were times when we'd get home and realize that Lovey was gone. We'd get in the car and retrace our steps looking for him, sometimes finding him in the middle of the road. One time we didn't realize he was gone till it was naptime and as I thought back the last time I'd remembered seeing him was on our walk that morning. So we got in the car and went off looking for him again. I prayed and prayed to St. Anthony that we would find him and that someone hadn't picked him up. Luckily even 6 hours later or whatever it was we found him in the middle of a sidewalk that we'd walked on that day.Anyway Lovey is a BIG part of Ashton's life and I was just imagining how heartbroken he would be if he never got to hold him and sniff him again. He still (at 4 1/2) walks around sniffing him all day long. I remember when we were finishing our basement and Ashton was "helping" Lars downstairs, I wouldn't let him take Lovey down with him. So I saw him one time set Lovey down on the chair before he went down, then walk down a couple stairs and turn around and come back up, sniff Lovey while saying "Just one more sniff", then go downstairs!
He's so funny! 
Back to tonight...eventually after almost an hour of looking we told him that he'd just have to sleep without him and we'd try to find him again in the morning. He was sad, but I talked him into snuggling with Five (his stuffed dog that he's always slept with too...and yes HE named him that). After walking out of his room it was still just driving me crazy that we couldn't find him. So I prayed again that I would find him and I just kept trying to think of what could have happened to him. We knew we hadn't taken him out of the house at all today, but we'd looked EVERYWHERE! All of a sudden it came to me where he was as I was walking back to my room to look there again. He was in the top of my closet because I had thrown him up there this afternoon because Ashton would not get dressed, so I had taken him from him, then we both forgot about him! I was so relieved to find him! And excited to take him into Ashton and see the look on his cute face when I told him I found him. The biggest smile I've ever seen. It would have been the very first night in over four years that he'd slept without him...so I'm so glad I found him.
It's funny I always picture myself years down the road when Ashton's all grown up pulling Lovey out of wherever we store him and smelling him remembering these days with Ashton. I guess when something is so important to your child it becomes just as important to you.
Back to tonight...eventually after almost an hour of looking we told him that he'd just have to sleep without him and we'd try to find him again in the morning. He was sad, but I talked him into snuggling with Five (his stuffed dog that he's always slept with too...and yes HE named him that). After walking out of his room it was still just driving me crazy that we couldn't find him. So I prayed again that I would find him and I just kept trying to think of what could have happened to him. We knew we hadn't taken him out of the house at all today, but we'd looked EVERYWHERE! All of a sudden it came to me where he was as I was walking back to my room to look there again. He was in the top of my closet because I had thrown him up there this afternoon because Ashton would not get dressed, so I had taken him from him, then we both forgot about him! I was so relieved to find him! And excited to take him into Ashton and see the look on his cute face when I told him I found him. The biggest smile I've ever seen. It would have been the very first night in over four years that he'd slept without him...so I'm so glad I found him.It's funny I always picture myself years down the road when Ashton's all grown up pulling Lovey out of wherever we store him and smelling him remembering these days with Ashton. I guess when something is so important to your child it becomes just as important to you.
Thanks St. Anthony :)
6 comments:
I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO glad you found him for Ashton! St Anthony always comes through :-)
Love,
Mom
Oh My Goodness! I can only Imagine how Ashton was reacting without "Lovey" I'm so glade you found him!
Thank goodness for the memory kicking back in sometimes! And I'm sure Ashton was very happy to see Lovey when you walked in his room. We've had several scares like that, too and have survived a couple nights without the "best friend" so don't worry, it can be done (if needed). Hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day!
So cute!!! He is such a cute boy. I love when they have attachments. I love that they name them and make them their own. You have adorable boys and your preschool sounds amazing. so cute
That is so cute! Jett also has a dog (actually it looks more like a rag these days, he has lost all his stuffing, his tail has had to be sewn on numerous times, and his nose is completely been rubbed off) that he has had since he was 6 months old, and he has to sleep with every night. We have even had to turn around from heading out of town to come back to get him. Whenever my family asks him when he is going to get rid of it, the thought makes me so sad. It's so true what you said, when your kids love something so much it makes you love it too. I always wonder why I don't ever want him to get rid of it. I guess I had never thought of it that way.
Hey, sorry about last week, we are actually headed to New York this week, but maybe we can get together when we get back the end of next week sometime. Seriously, maybe we can finally find a day that works for both of us. :)
That story could have been mine! We've done those same things, countless times with Addy's blanket. And just like you, I get just as panicked as Addy! Her blanket is the ugliest, stinkiest (and I wash it repeatedly) thing ever, but she LOVES IT, and I love that she loves it. So glad you found lovee!
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