The Slow Release of DD....*tear*

So for those of you who are unfamiliar with who DD is, let me explain. DD is a comforter, companion in sickness, best friend, tear collector, first love, patient great listener who is game for anything....also know as my son's lovey or very favorite stuffed animal. I just recently have noticed DD being absent from alot more playtime activities than he used to be, you see DD used to go everywhere all the time no matter what, so much so that there are actually 2 DD's, just in case the unthinkable would happen, although after he discovered that there were 2 one of them still remained his favorite more loved on one.

We received DD from Grandma and Grandpa Hotrum a little while after Dylan was born. It had a beautiful scarf around his neck and a music box in his belly that played Jesus loves me. While one day something that ended up being completely un related happened, Dylan broke out in this insane rash....and while I know you are not supposed to wash toys that have music boxes in them, I did. I was so anal (and still am) about washing things I figured it would not be that big of a deal. While Dylan slept with DD every nap all night constantly, so when he broke out in the rash my first thought, don't ask me why, is that battery acid was somehow leaking from DD and on to him. By this time I should tell you that DD had lost some of his fluffy-ness and his scarf (choking hazard?!?). While in my haste and not realizing the possible other causes of the rash of the devastating effects of what I was about to do, I threw DD in the garbage. (*tear) While what happened next was devastating....turns out the rash was from a strawberry sensitivity and Dylan would NOT sleep without DD....Thank the Lord for my mother in law though....she had also bought one for my sister in law Kaydi for the baby they were expecting. So I hastily call Kaydi and frantically explain the situation and ask if I can come down and take theirs and that I would replace it. She says yes of course because she is the BEST EVER!!! (yes, you Kaydi Belle Hotrum!) So I drive all the way to Lebanon with a screaming child thinking that my redemption is near....get there run in and grab the dog, cut off the scarf and back out to the car. I try to give it to him....he throws it down he knows it is not the original, I try to play the music and that freaks him out more. By this time mostly he is crying out of complete exhaustion. So once we get home I do very quick and major surgery on DD to remove the music box on the off chance that it was the battery acid. And by that night he is happily doing much better!

Another fun time was when DD took over Mommy's camera, he got one of the best pictures of Dylan ever!! Here is his work! The day he discovered there were 2 DD's was absolutely hilarious, we had done a little switcheroo so that we could wash the one since it had been a little while. So not thinking about what I was doing or the trauma I might cause I load up the laundry basket with everything and bring it into the bedroom to dump on the bed and begin folding. While out flies DD. Dylan's eyes get really big and he looks down to make sure he is still holding his DD, the he exclaims, "Mommy, there are 2 DD's!" Luckily he thought it was cool and it didn't upset him in the least, these days after he is sick or its been awhile he informs me that DD needs a bath and he will bring it to the washing machine and put him in to get clean. My kids amaze me!

As I have browsed through pictures while writing this DD has been a constant companion to my son, It makes him feel secure and happy. I will leave you with a small sampling of pictures of our DD. Pray that he will want to keep him around a while longer at least for bedtime....let him stay small for me a little longer!!