not to us

This past weekend, we visited my mom and dad in Terre Haute.  In my haste to get packed and get on the road, I forgot Duckie and Blankie.  (I know!  The Horror!)

Thankfully, at bedtime, Ruby accepted some pretty poor substitutes without much objection.

Still, my mom decided it was a good enough reason to order a back-up Duckie.  Two, infact: one for Nonna's house and one for Gigi's house.

I found the website of Duckie's maker, and Mom asked me to look for a lovie for Burke.  She's the one who purchased Duckie, and she was quite sentimental about being the one to purchase Burke's lovie.  I really like the way Duckie is made.  He's (She's?) super soft and floppy...perfect for cuddling.  So I was hoping to find a lovie from the same collection for Burke.

Duckie was a total coincidence.  During a random visit, Mom acted on a whim and bought Duckie from her hospital's gift shop.  We didn't even know if Ruby would like him (her?), but they've been inseparable since that first car ride together.  Ruby had never shown a special fondness for ducks, and "quack" wasn't even her favorite animal sound.  It just happened that she loved Duckie from the moment she met him.

So, when it came to choosing a possible lovie for Burke, I felt a little overwhelmed.  I knew that I wanted an animal from the same line as Duckie...it's the perfect cuddly friend.  But the options were endless!  A puppy dog?  A froggie?  A monkey?  A lobster?  Even the octopus was adorable!

Then, I saw him.  And I knew. 

You see, when Mike was a little boy, he had a lovie.  In fact, he still has his lovie.  Of course, the lovie doesn't get any use these days, but he's specially packed away...well-loved and much-treasured.  Rackie, so named because of his identity as a raccoon, was a great friend for Mike.

And when I saw this perfect, adorable, floppy raccoon, I knew he was meant to be Burke's special floppy friend.  :) 

I would like to introduce you all to Rackie, Jr.  (Rackie for short.) 

Burke took to him immediately this evening: reaching for him, clutching him close, and laughing when Rackie bounced toward him.  They've shared their first car ride together, and I believe it's the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Welcome to the family, Rackie!  We're glad to have you.  :)